Dreamchasers
by Genki Collective
Summary: In 2016 Tōkyō, Azusa, HTT's "forgotten member," pursues her dream of following HTT to the Budokan stage, with help from her former Wakaba Girls band mates and a significant figure from her past. AU; female OC; various pairings. Rated M for sexual content. EXTRA CHAPTER 1: Separations may be painful, but reunions are sweet. M-rated YuiAzu fluff.
1. Chapter 1: Reunion

**A/N:**

**_WARNING! This story is rated M _**because of the strong lesbian theme throughout, and because there are occasional explicit depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative (although not in every chapter). Read at your own risk.

**_DISCLAIMER! _**I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

* * *

_**PREFACE: **_

Originally this story started out as the re-write of the now-deleted _Mono no Aware_, the first story I published on this site. Over time, however, it evolved into a tale with a completely different plot and timeline. The only thing this story has in common with _Mono no Aware _is the alternate universe setting, which I have reused with few changes.

This is a story of love, friendship, and above all being true to oneself. It will be a longer story than is normal for me, as I explore this AU a little more deeply than I have the others I've created. I hope you enjoy the journey.

Genki Collective

* * *

**Chapter 1: Reunion**

_3/14/2016, 1:05 pm  
__Second Floor Staff Room, Sakuragaoka Girls' Senior High School, Katakuramachi 553, Hachiōji_

Nakano Azusa sat at her desk in the otherwise-empty second floor staff room, staring vacantly at nothing in particular. It was the Monday of the second week of spring break, and she was both bored and lonely. Stifling a yawn, she mentally cycled through her to-do list. The results were not encouraging.

_Lesson plans? Check. Musical instruments and equipment inventoried? Finished. Sheet music library reorganized? Yep. And the next task is…nothing. The important stuff is all done. _

_God, this is killing me! I got a grand total of three days off, and now I have to sit around this place by myself for two and a half weeks until the entrance ceremony. This is what I get for being one of the junior teachers._

Sitting alone among a roomful of empty desks seemed a fitting metaphor. It was one year after college graduation, and here she was, teaching music at Sakuragaoka, and stuck in a near-empty school during spring break. It was the worst possible case for Azusa: she was alone again, as she so often seemed to be. She hated that feeling more than any other.

Even if she could take time off, there was nothing to do and no one to do it with. She was between bands, so she had nothing significant to occupy her time outside work. She had no real friends among the faculty, most of whom were men. Ui was married and living in Fukuoka. Jun had stayed in Tōkyō to work as a music journalist and play bass with her new band. And her closest friend of all, Yui, was with HTT on their latest Asian tour.

Pulling out her smart phone, she decided to flout the school's no-cell policy just this once to re-read the email she'd gotten from Yui that morning. As usual, it was nonsensical – some moronic statement about food with a picture of a bowl of kimchi attached – but it was Yui's unique way of letting Azusa know she was thinking of her. Azusa couldn't suppress a giggle.

_It's what…the fourteenth? They're supposed to be playing in Seoul tonight. I guess that would explain the kimchi. Geez, this girl…she always makes me smile, every day without fail. God, I miss her so much when she goes on tour…_

After turning the phone off again, she let her thoughts dwell on Yui for a few moments. The carefree brunette had been her friend for eight years. Over time, she had grown from annoying high school senpai to best friend, and finally to the single most important person in Azusa's life.

As her other friendships from high school and college slowly faded to memories, even those with Ui and Jun, her bond with Yui had never weakened. The brunette would not allow it to happen.

The reason for Yui's steadfastness had a lot to do with the kind of person she was. Even though she had become famous fronting one of the hottest acts in j-rock, at heart she remained her old self: carefree, upbeat, uncomplicated, and – in contrast to her band mates – largely unaffected by the soul-crushing grind of touring and the savage competition of the music business.

_I'm still as important to Yui as ever. She would never give up on me…and I wouldn't have it any other way._

After Azusa took the job at Sakuragaoka – replacing Yamanaka Sawako, who had left to manage HTT full time – she found herself back home in Hachiōji, where HTT was based. Although she was separated from Ui and Jun, she was once again able to see Yui and the other girls in HTT on a regular basis. Before too long, she and Yui were inseparable, much as they had been in college.

Over the past twelve months, however, the relationship between the two women had grown more and more complicated. There was a dramatic increase in the intensity of their friendship after Ui got married. It was as though Yui was looking for comfort, or maybe a replacement, after "losing" her sister. For Azusa, languishing in the outer suburbs of Western Tōkyō with few other friends, the attention Yui lavished on her connected on a deep level. Yui seemed to be the only one who made her feel truly needed, as though her existence really mattered.

Azusa was at a loss as to why their friendship had taken this sudden turn after so long. She had never really had an attraction to women per se. She had always assumed she was straight, even though she'd never been particularly drawn to men, either. Yet Yui had become the exception to the rule. The brunette was force of nature, and Azusa had been swept along with the rising tide of passion that had grown between them.

They maintained the polite fiction that they were nothing more than best friends. Outside observers weren't fooled for a moment, however, because their deep affection for each other was obvious, and the sexual tension between them was palpable whenever they were together. They were a mere touch away from becoming lovers, and Azusa had to admit that she wanted that more than anything. After fighting it for so long, she had finally fallen in love with Yui, and the brunette gave every sign of returning her feelings.

And yet, they seemed stuck in a sort of stasis. Azusa, prone to overanalyzing, was still not entirely sure about dating another woman. The problems same-sex couples faced in Japan seemed formidable to her, and because of this she couldn't bring herself to take the initiative with Yui. If the brunette had reassured her that they would face those obstacles together, however, Azusa would have put her reservations aside in a moment. But Yui, normally not one to hold back in anything she did, seemed oddly unable or unwilling to take things to the next level.

_So here we are: two people in love but not in a relationship. I wonder when we're going to stop kidding ourselves._

_I should call her after work. She emails me constantly, but it's not the same. I just really need to hear her voice right now._

With effort, Azusa shook off her reverie. Daydreaming about Yui made her miss the brunette all the more, and served only to sharpen the edge on her loneliness.

She decided to make some tea to clear her head. Unfortunately, this did little to improve her focus, and as she sipped from the steaming mug, she couldn't stop her thoughts from running away again. This time, she was successful in deflecting them away from Yui, and they eventually came to rest on the empty desk facing hers.

It was the desk reserved for the English para-educator. Like many Japanese schools, Sakuragaoka contracted with a private firm for the services of native English-speakers to work alongside the Japanese teachers in the English classes. The goal was to improve the students' conversational skills, and to help the Japanese teachers deal with idiomatic speech and slang.

The school had had a recent run of bad luck with para-educators, however, and it seemed to Azusa as though there was a different person sitting at that desk every term. Most couldn't cope with the culture shock of working in Japan. Others were incompetent and had been fired, including the man who had filled the position during the previous trimester.

Azusa had heard a great deal of buzz about his replacement. She was a Japanese-American from the San Francisco area, a graduate of the University of California who was fluent in both English and Japanese. Supposedly, she'd been born in the States to first-generation immigrants, and had spent several years in Japan when she was younger. The male English teachers had seen a picture of her somewhere, and Azusa had overheard them talking excitedly about how beautiful she was.

_That'll be a nice change. That last guy, the Australian...very rude. He was a lousy teacher, and ugly to boot. Every time he hit on me it made my skin crawl…ugh! At least it sounds as though she'll be easier on the eyes than he was…and she spent a long time in Japan, so maybe she'll have some manners. That'll definitely be a step up. I hope she's friendly. I could use someone to talk to._

Frustrated by the fact that her thoughts had drifted yet again, Azusa decided to kill time by rearranging her files on the faculty server. She was wading through a directory of old lesson plans when the door to the staff room opened, and the head teacher of the English department entered. Acting on reflex, Azusa stood and bowed, greeting him politely.

"Good afternoon, Sensei."

"Nakano-sensei," he replied with a nod. "I'm really glad you're here. We need someone to help our new English para-educator get settled in. The problem is, I'm the only one of the five English teachers here this week, and I'm swamped with administrative work. Can you help?"

It was more of an order than a request, and Azusa knew it.

"Of course, Sensei. I'd be glad to."

The department head nodded with satisfaction.

"Good. Stay here. I'll bring her up from the front office in a couple minutes."

To pass the time, Azusa decided to go back to reorganizing her computer files. Before she could get anything meaningful accomplished, however, the head English teacher returned. At the sight of his companion, the new para-educator, Azusa's jaw dropped.

Despite what she'd heard, she was unprepared for how beautiful the woman was. Her skin was pale to the point of being almost translucent. Taller than Azusa by a good eight centimeters, she had a slender build, except for a chest that was two shades too big for her frame. Her midnight-black hair, which was cut in a collar-length shag, framed possibly her most arresting feature: a pair of smoldering, almost-round brown eyes.

She was one of the prettiest women Azusa had ever met, on the level of Mio or even Mugi. As Azusa tried valiantly not to stare at the woman's chest, she realized there was a familiar air about the new teacher that she couldn't place. Azusa was almost certain she knew her from somewhere.

_Oh. My. God. Is it…Tori? It looks like her…a grown-up version of her, anyway…no, that's impossible._

"Nakano Azusa-sensei, this is our new English para-educator, Takeda Natsumi-sensei," the head teacher announced. "Nakano-sensei teaches music here at Sakuragaoka."

At the sound of the name, Azusa froze. She gaped at the woman, and after a moment noticed that Takeda-sensei seemed just as surprised as she was. The light of recognition flickered in her eyes.

_It can't be the same Takeda Natsumi from junior high! Is it? But the Takeda Natsumi I knew went by the English name Victoria, nickname Tori…and the Tori I remember was scrawny and flat-chested, with braces, braids, and glasses. This gorgeous creature can't possibly be her!_

"Puh...puh...pleased to meet you," Azusa stammered out loud, bowing stiffly and desperately trying to hide how flustered she was. Takeda-sensei, on the other hand, quickly regained her composure.

"Please take care of me from now on, Nakano-sensei," she replied formally in flawless standard Japanese, bowing as she spoke. Once Azusa heard Takeda-sensei's voice, the unmistakable musical note in it left her with no further doubt.

_That voice...it _is_ Tori! I can't believe it. She came back to Japan! And of all the schools in all the cities in this country, she walks into this one? I must be dreaming…_

"Likewise," Azusa responded almost numbly, afraid to say anything else in front of the head teacher. He didn't appear to notice her hesitation, however, and began issuing directions.

"Nakano-sensei, get her set up at this empty desk facing yours. See if you can find the department's lesson plans for the Spring term – they should be on the shared faculty drive. Takeda-sensei, spend your time this week familiarizing yourself with those lesson plans. You'll meet the other teachers and start joint planning next week. I'd stick around, but I have a department heads' meeting. I'll be back at the end of the day to check on how things are going."

As he hurried off, the two women looked at each other blankly for a moment. Azusa felt a sudden urge to say something, anything, to ease the awkward atmosphere.

_Oh, God, I don't know where to start. We were best friends back then, but now…it's been eight years, after all. Say something, Nakano! Preferably not something stupid!_

"Would you like some tea?" was all she could think to ask.

"I'd love some, thanks," Takeda-sensei replied. "Black."

As Azusa poured the tea into a mug, she felt Takeda-sensei's eyes on her. The woman seemed to be studying her; she appeared to want to say something, but seemed unable to find the words. After several long moments, the newcomer finally broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Nakano-sensei, I don't want to seem rude, but I'm curious, and I don't want to make any assumptions. Are you by any chance the same Nakano Azusa who graduated from Nakayama Junior High in 2008?"

Azusa nodded as she handed the mug to Takeda-sensei.

"I am."

In response, the deep, brown eyes sparkled, and the fair face lit up in a 1,000-watt smile. It was a smile every bit as warm as Azusa remembered.

"I knew it!" Takeda-sensei cried in triumph. "Azu, don't you recognize me? It's me, Tori!"

At the sound of her old junior high nickname, the one Tori had given her, Azusa caught her breath. A smile cracked through her reserve.

"Victoria Takeda," she said softly, carefully pronouncing her friend's name in English. "I can't believe it's really you."

"In the flesh," Tori replied, still beaming. "I came back, Azu. Just as I promised."

* * *

_4/4/2005, 4:51 pm  
__Guitar Club Room, Nakayama Junior High School, Nakayama 1158, Hachiōji_

_The tall Japanese-American approached Azusa after the Guitar Club meeting ended. She wasn't much to look at, Azusa thought: a gangly, flat-chested 12-year-old, with her hair in twin braids, braces on her teeth, and thick, tortoise-shell-framed glasses. _

_It was a case of looks being deceiving, however. Once the girl began playing her acoustic guitar and singing, Azusa had been captivated. The girl seemed utterly at home in front of an audience, as if she was born to perform on stage. Her voice was strong and clear, with no trace of an accent, and her guitar skills, while not at Azusa's level, were still superior to those of any of the other first-years. She seemed altogether likeable, as well, and that, combined with her obvious talent, made her performance riveting. Were it not for her ungainly appearance, Azusa thought, she had all the makings of a future idol._

_Sensing a kindred spirit, Azusa had been thinking about approaching the girl, but had hesitated, not wanting to seem rude. To her relief, the girl had made the issue moot by coming to her first._

"_Um…Nakano-san, is it?"_

"_Yes," Azusa replied. "Takeda-san, right?"_

"_Right on the money," the girl grinned, and when her lips parted Azusa could see that the bindings in her braces were an attention-getting pink; far from being off-putting, the effect was actually kind of cute, and seemed to mesh with the girl's charismatic personality. "The name's Victoria, but you can call me Tori. Easier to say in Japanese."_

_Tori's breezy manner and disarming smile cut through Azusa's reserve and put her at ease. Even though they had just met, she decided she felt comfortable being on a first-name basis with the easygoing _meganekko_._

"_Call me Azusa. You're really talented, Tori-san. Your voice is beautiful, and you play guitar well. You make performing look so easy. I wish I was as confident as you are."_

_Tori waved a hand dismissively._

"_Oh, don't let that confidence fool you. I was terrified. I just hide it well. You're an amazing guitarist, by the way. I like the way you handle that Mustang – it makes me want to get an electric for myself. Hey, the senpai were saying they wanted us to form into groups. Want to team up? I think we'd do well together."_

_Azusa didn't need to think twice. Tori was not only skilled, she seemed like she'd be fun to play music with. With a smile, she nodded her agreement._

"_I think so, too."_

* * *

_3/15/2016, 5:37 pm  
__Hanamaru Udon, Minami-Ōsawa 2-1, Hachiōji_

Azusa and Tori huddled together at the tiny corner table, surrounded by people grabbing a bite to eat before heading upstairs to the movie theater. The noodle restaurant was crowded and noisy, and they had to lean their heads together to hear each other speak.

Azusa was amazed at how effortless it was to talk to Tori, even after more than eight years. The easy camaraderie of their junior high days had returned almost instantly. The Tori in front of her was certainly more mature and sophisticated, as expected of an adult, but underneath it all she was still the same old Tori, with the sunny, carefree disposition that drew Azusa to her back in junior high. Azusa still couldn't fathom how fate had allowed her path to cross Tori's again after such a long time.

"I'm really glad you suggested we eat here, Azu," Tori said in between mouthfuls of noodles. "It's just like the old days. Remember when we used to grab a bowl of noodles, then catch a movie?"

Azusa chuckled.

"Of course I remember. How could I not? We used to run all over this part of town."

Tori pushed the bowl away with a satisfied groan.

"Man, that was good. You can't get _udon_ like this in the States."

"So, Tori-san…" Azusa began.

"Please, just Tori," her companion insisted. "Come on, Azu, we go back a long way. No honorifics, okay?"

Azusa hesitated. With anyone else, dropping honorifics would be serious business for the normally proper schoolteacher. But this was Tori, and they _had_ been friends a long time ago, after all. She decided it felt right. After a moment, she smiled.

"Uh, okay…Tori. Speaking of the States, you were about to tell me about why you're here in Hachiōji. I was really surprised to see you after all these years."

"I got into a bit of legal trouble," Tori deadpanned. "I thought it best to leave the States until things calmed down. Let's just say that it would be a good thing if I never entered the city limits of Palo Alto again. Ever. In my defense, I thought the propane tank was empty."

A mischievous smile crept across Tori's face, and Azusa, realizing she was being teased, rolled her eyes.

"Come on, quit joking!"

Despite her protest, Azusa couldn't help smiling. Tori had definitely not lost her sense of humor as an adult.

"You want me to be serious, huh?" Tori's playful demeanor grew suddenly thoughtful. "I don't really know, to be honest. I have a degree in Asian Studies, and I actually had two different job offers as a translator, but…well, I didn't think I was ready to be chained to a desk at age 22. When I heard that I could get a job as a para-educator, it seemed like fun. An adventure, I guess. I hadn't been back to Japan since junior high, and I really missed my grandparents. But not only that, I remembered the good times, and the friendships. And I remembered my promise to come back."

Their eyes met briefly, but neither could hold the other's gaze, and they both quickly looked away in embarrassment.

"I had to look twice to make sure it was you," Azusa admitted. "The eyes looked familiar, but I wasn't sure, because you always used to wear glasses. It was your voice that gave you away. I can't believe how…different you look. Your hair's so short now, and you're not wearing glasses anymore. And, uh…you've filled out quite a bit."

"What, you mean these?" Tori grinned, nodding downward toward her chest. "Yeah, I guess they weren't quite this impressive the last time you saw me. They do make me look different, don't they?"

She stuck her chest out and pretended to leer at Azusa, who was taken by surprise; she had forgotten her friend's unique, American style of candor. She gasped, blushing with mortification.

"Knock it off! Geez, you're shameless!"

"Okay, okay," her companion laughed. "I couldn't resist teasing – your reactions are just as adorable as ever. Anyway, I didn't recognize you at first, either. You're…I don't know, a little taller and curvier than you used to be, and you're wearing your hair in a single ponytail now instead of those twin tails you had in junior high. But after a few seconds, I was pretty sure it was you. God, you've gotten even cuter than you were back then. I'll bet you get plenty of attention from guys, huh?"

"Um…er…" Azusa stammered. "I'm…not really into guys…"

"Girls, then?" Tori pressed. Azusa, now blushing like a beacon, could only mumble her response.

"Well, mostly just one girl."

"Interesting," Tori mused. "I didn't mean to assume. Back in junior high, you were into guys, or so you told me. Tell me about this girl."

_I told you that because I was confused, and it was easier than turning you down flat. I was afraid I'd lose you as a friend. But that was a long time ago, Tori. I'm in love with Yui now. And this is one part of my life I don't really want to discuss with you._

"I'm not really comfortable talking about her," Azusa stated flatly. "Maybe another time. Besides, there's nothing to tell. We're not in a relationship. We're just really close friends."

"Oh, good, then that means I still have a chance."

For a brief moment, there was a look on Tori's face Azusa recognized all too well. It was the same look that had led to complications in their friendship during the final months before Tori moved to the States.

_Oh, you've got to be kidding. You still have feelings for me? I can't believe it. I have to nip this in the bud._

"Um, no, you don't have a chance," she declared with uncharacteristic bluntness.

For a moment, the two locked eyes. Then, suddenly, Tori laughed, and when she spoke, her tone was light.

"Just kidding! Man, you should have seen your face."

It seemed like Tori's usual teasing, but the fact remained that she had indeed had feelings for Azusa back in junior high, and that gave her supposed jest an unsettling overtone. Even so, it had been such a long time that Azusa decided the best course was to take Tori's words at face value. She allowed herself to relax.

"I'll bet you'll probably think it's weird, huh? Me not being into guys, I mean."

"Hey, it's all good," Tori answered airily. "Guys, girls, whatever. Any port in a storm, as the saying goes. I don't restrict myself by gender, although recently I've been more attracted to guys, I guess. You have nothing to fear from me, anyway, because I actually have a boyfriend at the moment. His name's Jackson, and he's a law student at Stanford. Well, I guess you could still call him my boyfriend. Our situation's a bit complicated."

"How so?"

Tori thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"Jackson knows exactly where he's going and what he wants out of life. For a long time, I liked that about him, but now he's so focused and driven that he's gotten…boring, for lack of a better word. He was not at all pleased about me coming to Japan. Why we're even still together is beyond me. The way he and I left things was, um, indefinite. I'd be surprised if we stayed together very much longer."

As Tori discussed her relationship with Jackson, her normally ready smile faded, and she seemed unusually somber. She abruptly changed the subject, however, and her cheerful manner quickly returned.

"Anyway, you can't imagine how happy I was to see you in that staff room. I was hoping for a friendly face, but I never thought it would be yours. Imagine, TōriiAzu, together again, just like back in junior high."

Azusa smiled as memories of their days performing as a duo flashed through her mind.

"We had a lot of fun, didn't we? Remember that time you talked me into busking on the concourse of Mitsui Outlet Mall, just for the heck of it? I was mortified when security ran us off. I think we made about ¥2,000 from people throwing money into our guitar cases."

"Which we promptly spent at the Baskin-Robbins across the street," Tori giggled. "And remember the time we played at the cultural festival during third year? We got in big trouble using Orange Range's _Locolotion_ as our encore, because the principal said our performance was 'too suggestive.' I remember your parents and mine all laughing at that."

Azusa groaned at the recollection.

"Trust you to remember that. All we did was shake our hips a little. I never would have done that on my own, but once you started, I pretty much had no choice but to go along with it. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die after that concert."

Tori was silent for a long moment, staring into space as if remembering. When she finally spoke, she sounded unusually wistful, even though she was smiling.

"All the good times we had together, not just playing…I'll never forget them, Azu. But those times we played together? Those are some of my best memories from junior high. Getting up in front of an audience and performing…it's part of who I am, and those junior high experiences really shaped that for me. That's why I never stopped playing. In fact, I was in a working band until right before I moved. No one close to me seems to understand how important music is to me. I know Jackson sure doesn't."

When Tori alluded to her boyfriend, Azusa saw her smile briefly waver again. It was obvious to Azusa that the state of her relationship with Jackson bothered Tori more than she was letting on. As before, Tori's smile returned when she pressed on with the conversation.

"What about you, Azu? Do you still play?"

"I do," Azusa nodded. "I've been in bands since high school. It's been a couple months since I quit my last band, but yeah, my skills are fresh. What are the odds? We're both still going after all this time."

Tori thought for a moment, and when she spoke, she sounded relieved.

"I'm glad you didn't give up guitar. You were so talented even back then that it would have been a tragedy. I was worried you would, the way you were talking when I left. We were both pretty upset, and we said a lot of dramatic things, didn't we?"

"It's true that I almost quit playing after you moved away," Azusa admitted ruefully, opting not to rehash the awful experience of their long-ago parting. "But when I went to Sakuragaoka, and I heard the Light Music Club play at my freshman assembly…things changed."

She went on to tell Tori about how that performance had so inspired her she abandoned all thought of quitting, and wound up joining the Light Music Club instead. She omitted the details about how Yui's performance, in particular, was the one that had so impressed her. She didn't want to have to try explaining her and Yui's complex relationship further. Her earlier exchange with Tori had been uncomfortable enough.

"It was me and four senpai," she explained. "They all became close friends as well as band mates. I was the rhythm guitarist. After they graduated, they all went to the same university and kept the band together, without me, of course. They're still together, in fact. They caught a lucky break, and right before they all graduated from college, their demo CD got to Sunrise – the animation studio – and they got picked up to do an anime opening theme. It was so popular they got a major label contract out of it. I'm not sure how plugged into the j-pop scene you are, but if you know who HTT is, that's them."

Eyes wide, Tori gasped in surprise.

"Wow! I know exactly who they are! That's that hot j-rock group that's all over TV and the internet. They're even catching on in the Asian-American community in the States. I've seen their videos online. They're definitely the real deal, and not a bunch of overproduced, media-manufactured idols. You were actually a member? I'm impressed!"

"Yeah, I'm the so-called 'forgotten member,'" Azusa grimaced. "I get requests to do media interviews from time to time, but I always refuse. We went to the same university, but I haven't been a member of HTT since 2010, well before they got famous, so what do these reporters expect me to say? I'm still close to all of them, though, especially the lead guitarist. We're, um, best friends."

Tori's jaw dropped.

"You mean – what's her name – Hirasawa Yui? You're best friends with one of the biggest rock stars in Japan? Whoa, you're full of surprises today. I have to say, Azu, I like her style. When I watch her perform, I can't take my eyes off her. She draws me in, like she's singing just for me. I've never seen anything like it. I'd love to be able to front a band like she does."

"Yeah, she's an amazing performer," Azusa agreed, unable to keep from glowing with pride as she talked about Yui. "Totally self-taught, and works on instinct. Can't read music, even after playing for nearly nine years, although she finally managed to learn to read guitar tabs. She does everything by feel. Wears her heart on her sleeve, and the audience loves her for it. In short, she's absolutely brilliant – everything I'd want to be as a performer. And we really are friends. Closer than sisters. She's on tour now, but I hear from her every day, even if it's just an email."

Tori eyed Azusa for a moment, her facial expression at first speculative, then smug.

"'Closer than sisters', huh? She's the 'one girl' you mentioned before, isn't she? I could tell by the way you were talking about her just now. No one gets that look in their eye about someone who's supposedly just a friend."

The noodle restaurant's already stuffy dining area suddenly seemed to grow even warmer. From the heat in her cheeks, Azusa was convinced she was blushing a bright scarlet. She cleared her throat in embarrassment, and tried not to stutter.

"Like I said, it's…complicated. But Yui's, um, special. You'll really like her, Tori. When she gets back from their tour, I'll introduce you. In fact, I'll introduce you to all four of them."

Tori's face lit up as she began babbling excitedly.

"Whoa, that'd be so chill! They're all so talented, and totally gorgeous, too. Oh, wow! I've never met anybody famous before. Well, I met Orianthi once, but that was just to get her autograph. I meant I never knew anyone who knew someone who was really famous. Or something like that. And I'm making no sense because I'm so blown away. I can't believe you're tight with Hirasawa Yui and the rest of them! That's totally awesome!"

The silly look on Tori's face made Azusa want to burst into laughter, as much from relief as from amusement. She suppressed the urge, however, because Tori's reaction gave her the opening she needed to steer the conversation back on course, and away from a potentially awkward discussion of her and Yui.

"They're just ordinary women, like you and me," she assured the American. "They worked hard chasing their dream, and it paid off. They inspire me, and that's why I still play. I have that same dream. One day, I'm going to make it. I don't want to spend my days looking back with regret at what might have been. Yui tells me I have the talent to be successful, and I believe her. All I need is the right people to play with."

At this statement, Tori grinned, and her eyes twinkled eagerly.

"You're speaking my language, Azu. We both want the same thing, I think. It's why we both kept playing for all these years, right? Why don't we do some jamming? You know, play some songs and see what comes of it? Like I said, TōriiAzu, together again."

"Are you serious?" Azusa exclaimed. "We haven't done anything together in eight years!"

Tori's grin vanished.

"I'm deadly serious," she countered. "There's no time like present. Neither of us is in a band, and both of us want to be. Let's just play some of the old songs together and see how it goes, and if it feels right we can talk about what's next."

"Okay…maybe this weekend we can get togeth-"

The words died on Azusa's lips as Tori abruptly cut her off.

"I meant tonight. As in right now."

Azusa slumped backward in her seat, speechless. Part of her was intrigued. Here was an old friend, an experienced musician, floating the idea of reviving their long-ago musical partnership. Azusa had been looking for a band, and this seemed like a golden opportunity. But the world-class over-analyzer in her hesitated.

_It's been a long time…who knows what level she's playing at now? She was in a band, but that doesn't really mean anything – the world is full of crappy bands that'll never play for more than 25 people at time in some seedy bar. First things first - I've got to play with her again to see if she's any good, and if the old chemistry is still there. Even if it is, there's the matter of a rhythm section – we'd need a bassist and drummer to have a proper band. And I'm still kind of worried about that business of her "having a chance"…I'll have to watch that. I can't let her get the wrong idea. And this all seems so sudden…I mean, geez, it's been eight years! What is this girl thinking?_

"Come on, Azu," Tori coaxed. "Let's just start by jamming together for old times' sake. I mean, for us to cross paths like this, and then not pull out our guitars…that seems kind of silly, don't you think? We can go to my apartment. It's down the street from the school."

She fixed Azusa with a pleading, almost puppy-dog look. Groaning inwardly, Azusa had no choice but to capitulate, as she had so many times before during their junior high days.

_Geez, it's almost like dealing with Yui, except Tori comes across as being a lot less…innocent. And there is no way in hell I'm going to that apartment with her by myself, not after the way she was talking before. I don't want her thinking I'm a potential replacement for that boyfriend of hers.  
_

"All right," she sighed. "I just can't say no to you. But my house is closer, so let's go there instead."

To Azusa's relief, Tori did not fight the change in venue.

"Your parents won't think it's an imposition, will they?"

"No way," Azusa reassured her. "They'll be really happy to see you after all this time."

Tori flashed one of her brilliant smiles at Azusa. She was almost bouncing in her chair with excitement.

"Then let's go, Azu! This is going to be awesome – I can just feel it!"

* * *

_3/17/2016, 10:46 pm  
__Azusa's Room, Nakano Residence, Kitanodai 3-26-5, Hachiōji_

Azusa flopped wearily into her bed, one arm automatically closing around her pillow as she settled in under the covers. As she lay there staring at the ceiling, she attempted to process the events of the previous three days as they swirled around in her mind.

Tori had left some time earlier, after she and Azusa had played their acoustic guitars for over three hours. It was the third straight evening they had done this. From that first chord three days earlier, Azusa had immediately felt the old musical connection, almost as if it had never been broken. Each night they met at Azusa's house, and song followed song as the two women seemed unable to put their guitars down.

Clearly, Tori was delighted to be playing with Azusa again, and her excitement was contagious. Azusa hadn't had so much fun since the last time she, Ui, and Jun had performed together eighteen months earlier.

Their playing together felt effortless to Azusa. Even though Tori had lived in the States for so long, she had been following the j-pop scene closely, and she was therefore familiar with a surprising number of songs. The ones she didn't already know she was able to pick up quickly from sight-reading the guitar tabs off of Azusa's tablet screen. She had grown into a skilled, professional-quality rhythm guitarist, and her voice had lost the adolescent quality of eight years earlier and was now clear and powerful. To Azusa, it was almost like playing alongside Yui, although Tori's performance didn't have the elusive magic that made Yui unique. Even so, her skills were formidable, and Azusa was thoroughly impressed.

Earlier that evening, after three nights of playing every song they knew in common, many of them more than once, the two had decided to reform TōriiAzu, under a different name and with a rhythm section this time. Despite how rapidly things had evolved, Azusa felt right about it all.

_It's been too long since I felt this way about making music. Everything's clicking when I play with her. It's just like we were on stage back in junior high. I can hardly wait to tell Yui! Maybe when she gets back she can watch us play, and maybe join us…_

The sudden realization hit her, and she sat bolt upright.

_Oh, my God! Yui! I forgot to call her!_

She scrambled to get her phone from the nightstand, and when she saw the time display, her heart sank momentarily.

_Dammit! It's quarter to eleven. They're forty five minutes into the first set…no, wait. She's in Macao, and that's an hour behind Tōkyō. It's still fifteen minutes to curtain._

She heaved a sigh of relief as her fingers glided over the touch screen. Yui picked up on the first ring, almost as if she had been staring at her phone, waiting for the call. Azusa, unable to suppress a grin, knew this wasn't far from the truth.

"Azunyan! I was so afraid you wouldn't call! I've barely heard from you in the past three days, and I've missed you so much!"

Distorted as it was by the international satellite link, Yui's voice was still music to Azusa's ears. The moment she heard it, she felt a powerful sense of connection with the brunette, even though they were some 3,000 kilometers apart. Even so, Azusa didn't miss the barest hint of reproach in Yui's words.

"Yui! I've missed you, too. Sorry for the late call. How are you? How's Macao?"

"I'm spectacular, now that I'm talking to you," the brunette said with characteristic enthusiasm. "This call is giving me the Azunyan energy I need to play the show, after all. And Macao's not too bad. We're playing the Cotai and staying next door in the Venetian. This place is huge, and the food is excellent!"

"Must be nice," Azusa said with a touch of envy. "Did you get to the beach?"

"You're kidding, right?" Yui snorted. "Not today. Things have been absolutely crazy. It took us forever to get through sound checks. Problems with the sound system."

Azusa frowned as she tried, unsuccessfully, to remember HTT's tour schedule.

"Um, you're only in Macao for one night, right? I'd look it up, but my laptop's off."

"Only tonight," Yui confirmed. "We head across the bay to Hong Kong tomorrow for two nights. The girls were talking about going to the beach before tomorrow's concert, but there's no way _this_ girl can leave Hong Kong without sampling the food, so I'll probably hire a guide and prowl the street stalls. Then we come home on Sunday morning. The domestic leg of the tour starts next Wednesday."

"Sounds like the usual whirlwind," Azusa said, noting that Yui seemed as energetic as ever despite the frantic pace of touring. "Honestly, Yui, I don't know how you can take the punishment."

"Oh, you know me," Yui chirped. "I just go with the flow."

Suddenly, Azusa heard Ritsu's voice in the background. Her words were quite audible, and it was obvious that she wasn't happy.

"Yui, what's the deal? It's ten minutes to time! We have to meet with Sawa-chan and the tour manager!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Yui groused at the drummer before turning her attention back to the phone. "God, she's such a slave-driver. She's gotten so bossy since we got our record deal."

"Better listen to her, Yui," Azusa advised. "If she gets too annoyed, she doesn't play well."

"True, but she's just going to have to deal with it for a few minutes," the brunette declared; it was clear she was in no hurry despite Ritsu's summons. "So anyway, Azunyan, it feels like you've hardly had any time for me lately. You usually return all of my emails, but lately you haven't been doing that. Our phone calls and chats have been a lot shorter this week, and you've seemed distracted when we talk. This Takeda-san…you and she must be having a lot of fun together."

Something in the way Yui said this gave Azusa pause. There was a pout in her voice that was not light-hearted, and her reference to Tori by using her last name and an honorific was unusual for the normally informal brunette.

"Yeah. We've been jamming together this week. We ran through all the old songs she and I used to play in junior high – the Orange Range covers and all rest. I taught her a couple of the old HTT songs from high school. Numbers you guys don't play much anymore, like _My Love is a Stapler._ You'll really like her, Yui. You're a lot alike."

There was a momentary hesitation on the other end.

"Wow…um, that sounds like fun…" Yui said, her tone of voice conveying exactly the opposite message.

_My God, is she jealous? She's got no reason to be, and no right to be, either. If she wants a say in who I spend my time with, she needs to declare herself._

"It _was_ fun," Azusa continued, pretending to take Yui's words at face value. "We haven't performed together since junior high, but things were just as effortless as they were back then. She totally connected with me. Honestly, it reminded me of how I feel when you and I play together. In fact, things have been going so well that we're going to start a new band together, as soon as we can find a bassist and drummer."

"A…new band…?" Yui stammered; she was clearly taken by surprise. "Wow, no wonder you've not had as much time for me. Don't get me wrong – I'm happy for you, because I know that's what you want. But at the same time, it's been hard for me, because it's almost like my Azunyan is spending so much time with this Takeda-san that she's forgetting about her poor Yui. And I've been so lonely for you, too."

"_My Azunyan"? "Her poor Yui"? Wow, she is _really_ jealous. I've never heard her talk like this before. I'm going to have to handle this situation carefully._

"Yui, don't get all weird on me, okay?" she said quickly. "She's just a friend and a colleague. We're getting reacquainted after eight years. And besides, I called you every night, just like I always do. There's no need to get upset just because an old friend and I decided to start our own band."

There was another hesitation, and then Yui began to sputter. To Azusa's surprise, she sounded flustered. It was completely out of character, and therefore quite alarming.

"But…but…singing and playing together…you never do that with anyone but me! That's our special privilege!"

"That makes absolutely no sense," Azusa countered. "You never had exclusive claim on playing music with me. It's not like I've never been in bands before. Please don't talk like this, Yui. You make it sound like you're being replaced or something."

"Replaced? Me? Impossible!"

Yui laughed, but again, it seemed artificial.

"Of course it's impossible," Azusa soothed. "You're one of a kind, Yui. At least to me you are."

Azusa heard Yui draw a deep breath. When the brunette spoke, her voice was filled with a sudden determination.

"Azunyan, I am coming straight over to your house when I get into town on Sunday. It makes me crazy when we're on tour and I can't spend time with you. And that's what I want to do when I get back: spend time with my _koneko-chan_. Just the two of us, by ourselves. I've missed you so much."

"I'd like that, Yui," Azusa said softly. "I'd give anything to see your face right now."

_And yes, I caught that. You don't want Tori anywhere near us._

"I know," Yui replied, and now her voice was much warmer and gentler. "I wish I was there with you. I die a little inside when I go on tour and leave my Azunyan behind. I've been so much lonelier for you on this trip, way more than the others."

Once more, Azusa heard a voice in the background. Not surprisingly, it was Ritsu again, and she was even more annoyed this time.

"Yui, you need to get off the phone! You're going to delay the concert again!"

"Okay, okay!" Yui groaned. "Geez! You guys have to say 'hi' to Azunyan first."

There was a chorus of hellos from the other end.

"Azunyan, I've got to go," Yui said hurriedly. "Remember, I want us to get together this weekend. And I want to meet this Takeda-san at some point. The other girls are going to want to check her out, too. If she's going to be in a band with my Azunyan, she needs the Yui seal of approval."

_Okay, this is _not_ a good thing. Yui clearly sees Tori as a threat. She's never predictable – who knows what'll happen when she meets Tori? Man, this is going to suck._

"Okay, Yui, fine. You know, she knows exactly who all of you are. She's a huge fan of yours. When I promised to introduce her to you, I thought she was going to faint."

There was a chuckle from the other end.

"Well, if she's a fan of mine, that makes a tiny bit of a difference," the brunette said, and this time her characteristic warmth had returned. Azusa bit back a sigh of relief.

"Have a great show, Yui. Rock out for me, and call me from Hong Kong, okay?"

"Okay. Hey, Azunyan…?"

"What?"

"I'm still your best friend, right? Your number one?"

The naked anxiety in Yui's voice took Azusa by surprise. Worry was not a normal emotion for her carefree friend.

_Oh, God. What the hell is going through this girl's mind? She's so jealous she's panicking. She's acting like she's afraid she's going to lose me. This is not good..._

"Don't be ridiculous, Yui," she chided gently. "You're my best and closest friend. Nothing and no one could ever come between us."

"Oh, I'm just being silly again," Yui said with a nervous giggle. "My Azunyan would never give up on me. Oops, gotta go! Sleep well, _koneko-chan_!"

The connection dropped as Yui hung up. Azusa slumped back onto her pillow, unsure of what to make of the unnerving turn the conversation had taken. It was a long time before she managed to fall asleep.

* * *

**A/N:**

− This story was beta-read by my literary right hand, Musician74. She stuck by me as what was supposed to be a simple re-write of an existing story turned into a completely new fiction. To paraphrase Yui, awesome Beta-chan is awesome.

− As usual for a Genki fic, all stores, locations, buildings, etc. in this story are real-life, existing entities, where possible. For example, the Hanamaru noodle restaurant and Mitsui Outlet Mall are actual businesses in Hachiōji. The street addresses given in the scene headers are actual street addresses. Plug them into Google Maps and go to street level and you will see the actual buildings I imagined as I was writing.

− The arena in Macao Yui refers to is the CotaiArena, which is a 15,000 seat facility on the grounds of The Venetian resort in the Cotai district of Macao. It is one of the major concert venues in East Asia, and for HTT to headline there is evidence of their star power.

− A virtual cookie to anyone who can spot the reference to the 1942 Humphrey Bogart film _Casablanca_. _**EDIT, 6/25/2012:**_ The virtual cookie goes to **Hyperkinetic-Rabbity-Thing** for spotting the _Casablanca_ reference in Azusa's thoughts on finally recognizing Tori: "_And of all the schools in all the cities in this country, she walks into this one?" _It's a paraphrase of a famous line Humphrey Bogart delivers in the aforementioned film.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	2. Chapter 2: Promises

**A/N:**

**_WARNING! This story is rated M _**because of the strong lesbian theme throughout, and because there are occasional explicit depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative (although not in every chapter). Read at your own risk.

**_DISCLAIMER! _**I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Promises**

_3/24/2015, 3:15 pm  
__Outside Naruse Memorial Auditorium, Japan Women's University Nishi-Ikuta Campus, Tama Ward, Kawasaki_

_Jun stood with Azusa and Ui under the cherry trees outside the auditorium, sharing one last private moment. Under their arms were the diploma cases they had received at the just-completed Japan Women's University graduation ceremony. However, the achievement the graduation symbolized was overshadowed, at least for the time being, by something far more significant. _

_For the three friends, graduation heralded the end of their adolescence and the beginning of adulthood. Because of their individual life choices, it also meant that they would no longer be a part of each other's daily reality, as they had been for the past seven years. The fact that this separation was now upon them had hit all three hard, and tears of regret flowed freely as they renewed their promise of lasting friendship. _

_As the three clung to each other, Jun breathed a silent prayer of thanks to the _kami_ for these women who meant so much to her. They were, as far as she was concerned, her friends for life, and she wouldn't trade the years of shared experiences and precious memories for anything._

_All the same, her sense of loss was deep. The three of them were taking their first tentative steps as adults, along pathways that led in different directions. Despite her excitement over the new challenges that lay ahead, Jun couldn't help feeling that it was going to be lonely walking that pathway by herself. That thought had made this day, this very moment, far harder to deal with than she'd expected._

_As they pulled out of the group hug, Jun, never comfortable with strong displays of emotion, was determined to get herself together. She didn't want to face her parents, brother, and sister-in-law looking like a quivering, teary-eyed child. As she wiped at her eyes, the characteristic sense of humor that had so often saved her in these situations made its appearance. _

"_I hope we don't have to go through this again at Ui's wedding. Look at me now – I'm a mess. How can I be my sexy self in that tight dress I bought for the reception if my eyes are swollen like this?"_

_At these words, both Azusa and Ui giggled in spite of themselves, even as they wiped the tears from their own eyes. Jun's joke had cut the tension, and the women's spirits quickly rose again._

"_Who said anything about you looking sexy in the first place?" Azusa countered with a smirk. Jun puffed out her cheeks in feigned indignation._

"_Hey! That wasn't very nice!"_

_The sudden vibration of Ui's phone interrupted their banter. The brunette fished it out of the belt of her graduation kimono, chuckling as she looked at the screen._

"_It seems Onē-chan's tired of waiting," she snickered, looking sidelong at Azusa. Before the exasperated Azusa could reply, her own phone began to vibrate. As she looked at its screen, she rolled her eyes and muttered something unintelligible._

"_What was that?" Jun asked, unable to resist needling her friend over Yui. "I didn't quite catch that. Did you just say, 'I will fly to your arms, my beloved Onē-sama'?"_

_Jun had hit the mark dead center. Azusa's face turned crimson._

"_Shut up, Jun! I said no such thing!"_

"_Better not keep her waiting," Ui tittered. "You know how clingy she gets when she misses you."_

_Azusa slapped her palm to her forehead in frustration._

"_Ugh! Not you too, Ui…"_

_Jun and Ui couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. After a moment, Azusa joined them, in spite of her annoyance at their teasing. When the mirth had subsided, and the women were preparing to head back to the crowd outside the auditorium, Ui spoke up._

"_Guys, before we go, there's one more thing I want to say."_

_Jun exchanged puzzled looks with Azusa, wondering what was on Ui's mind._

"_Um, sure…go ahead," she said._

"_You both need to keep playing," the petite brunette told them. "You're both so skilled that you shouldn't give up. I never had professional ambitions – in fact, I only took up guitar to play with you guys – but you two are different. You both have real talent, and I don't want you to waste it. Find bands, and keep playing. And someday, if you guys get the chance to play together again, do it even if I can't be in the band with you. To know that you two are in the same group again would make me really happy. Promise me."_

_After a moment, first Azusa, then Jun, nodded their agreement. _

"_If we have the chance to play together again, we will," Azusa declared. "Right, Jun?"_

"_Of course," Jun replied._

_Satisfied, Ui nodded, and was about to say something further when Azusa's phone began to buzz once again. This time, Jun noticed a small smile play across her friend's lips as she read the message on the screen. After a moment, Azusa put her phone back in her kimono belt._

"_Okay, guys, let's go. Yui's getting really impatient."_

_The petite woman turned and began to walk back toward the auditorium, followed a moment later by Ui. Jun resisted the temptation to tease Azusa yet again over the intimacy she shared with Yui. Instead, she simply tagged along with the others back to where their friends and family were waiting. _

_As they walked, Jun thought about the promise she and Azusa had just made. Ui tended to take these things seriously, and Jun wondered if she and Azusa had been a bit too quick to agree. There were so many unknowns and what-ifs involved that she wasn't sure if that promise would ever be completely fulfilled. _

___Nevertheless, she resolved to live up to the part of the agreement she knew she could control. _She would find a band, and she would keep playing professionally as long as she could, so that if the day ever came that she and Azusa had a chance to reunite, with or without Ui, she would be ready. She felt she owed at least that much to Ui and Azusa, and to herself.

* * *

_3/18/2016, 5:31 pm  
__Jun's Apartment, Shinjuku 5-8-23-6, Shinjuku Ward, Tōkyō_

After sending the email to her editor, Jun leaned back in her desk chair with a satisfied sigh. It was a rare early end to the work week, brought about by an uncharacteristic burst of productivity that had allowed her not only to submit that day's article by the deadline, but to send along with it two of the three articles that were due on Monday, as well.

…_and I beat today's deadline by 29 minutes. My editor won't have to call to nag me…seriously, he's going to die from the shock. Now I can just relax until tonight's gig. Ah, telecommuting certainly agrees with me! _

She stretched lazily, then slumped back in the chair again, unsure for the moment what to do next. It seemed like a good time to read manga online, but she quickly rejected that option in favor of a short nap before heading to the club. After all, it was going to be a late night, and she needed to be fresh for the performance.

With effort, she stood and took the single step toward the pile of throw pillows in the opposite corner of her tiny one-room mansion. The pillows, along with the desk and chair and the futon in the nearby closet, were the only pieces of furniture she owned. She flopped on them with the weariness of a distance runner who had just completed a marathon, and attempted to get some sleep.

Under normal circumstances, Jun could sleep anywhere at any time. Today, however, she felt unusually restless, and the nap she sought wouldn't come as she tossed and turned on the pillow-pile in a vain attempt to get settled. After some time, she gave up, and lay face-up on the pillows, idly surveying her surroundings, and allowing her thoughts to wander.

It was six days short of a year since graduation, and Jun had to admit that her experiences over the past 360 days had convinced her that adulthood was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, living by herself in the city gave her the freedom she treasured, and her own apartment just a few blocks away from Ni-chōme allowed her to have a social life while still being discreet about her lesbian identity. On the other, it was expensive to live in the city, and because of the hectic and impersonal atmosphere, it was often lonely, as well.

She reminded herself daily how lucky she was to have the job with _Arupejio_, the online music magazine she worked for as a feature writer and rock music critic. She was building contacts in the Tōkyō music scene, and apart from spending two days a week in the office, she got to write from home, or anywhere with a wi-fi connection. Not only that, she got into rock concerts and clubs for free when she was there to review the performance. It was a dream set-up, except for one thing: it didn't quite pay enough to support a city lifestyle.

The extra money she earned playing bass with Laser helped somewhat. Laser, a local bar band based in nearby Minato Ward, had a regular Friday night gig, and Jun got along well with the other members. She only made a few tens of thousands of yen per month out of the deal, however, and this added income didn't fully ease her financial burden.

_I'm living paycheck to paycheck. The rent on this crappy shoebox of an apartment takes up more than half of what I'm making. What's left over is barely enough. I should probably either find a roommate, or move home, but roommates are a roll of the dice, and living with my parents…__that's pretty much a last resort. I may have no choice, though..._  


She thought back to the carefree days of college, when the pressure of making a living didn't exist. Those times with Azusa and Ui were precious memories, and as they played out in Jun's mind once more, she suddenly missed her two friends.

_I should probably email them. I barely hear from Ui anymore, but I guess that's to be expected now that she's married. I haven't heard from Azusa in a while, either…maybe she and I can get together one of these days…_

Simultaneous email alert tones from her laptop, tablet, and phone blasted Jun back to reality. With a yelp, she scrambled to turn the volume down on all three devices.

_Heh. Probably my editor…I'll bet he wants to know what's gotten into me, beating the deadline like that…_

She opened the message on her laptop. To her pleasant surprise, it was from Azusa.

"_Are you online? If so, come up on video chat."_

With a few taps to the track pad, the chat window opened, and in a moment Azusa's face smiled out from the laptop screen. Jun greeted her friend in her usual breezy manner.

"Yo, Azusa! I was just thinking about emailing you. Haven't talked to you in a couple weeks. You been busy or something?"

Azusa's tone was, as usual, matter-of-fact.

"Hello, Jun. Yeah, things have been crazy here. Hey, you doing anything Sunday afternoon?"

_Just like Azusa to get right down to business…I can't resist having a little fun with her first, though…_

"Are you asking me on a date?" Jun asked playfully. "I'm flattered. You're not relationship material, but if you get me really drunk first, and make sure Yui's still out of the country, I could certainly do a friend a favor, especially if it's just for one night."

"You wish," Azusa snorted, rolling her eyes. "C'mon, Jun, be serious for a change."

"Sorry," Jun smirked without a trace of repentance. "Laser's weekly gig is tonight, and I have to go to an early show at O-Nest tomorrow night that I have to write a review on. I'm free Sunday, though. What's up? Are you thinking of coming into Tōkyō?"

"No, I want you to come out here. You can catch a late train after the show on Saturday and crash with me. Bring your working bass, the five-string Ibanez."

Jun's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"My Ibanez? Um, this is a little unusual. What's this all about?"

"I've found her, Jun," Azusa announced triumphantly. "The piece we've been missing for so long."

A mischievous grin spread across Jun's face. It was the perfect opening, and she responded with sudden inspiration, more to prompt a reaction from Azusa than anything else.

"Oh, yeah! The hot, large-breasted girl for our threesome! Got any pics? I'd kind of like to see what I'm getting into, so to speak."

She could almost feel Azusa's annoyance radiating from the laptop as the tiny woman squawked in protest.

"Stop making sex jokes! Geez!"

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Jun chuckled. "Old habits die hard. Anyway, what's this all about?"

"Remember Takeda Tori, my best friend from Nakayama Junior High? My old performing partner from the Guitar Club?"

Jun frowned, searching her memory.

"I don't remember ever meeting her, but I recall hearing about her a lot during our first year in high school. You stopped talking about her as much when you got close to Yui, though. I thought she was an American. As in, living in America."

Azusa ignored Jun's comment about Yui.

"She was born in the States, but her Dad is from Yokohama and her Mom is from Akiruno, so she's as Japanese as we are. She came back to Japan as an English para-educator, and her company assigned her to Sakuragaoka. She even sits right next to me in the staff room."

"Does she have big boobs?" Jun leered, unable to keep from teasing Azusa further. "If she doesn't, we can still make that threesome fantasy work, especially if she's willing to…"

"That's it!" Azusa snapped, cutting off Jun in mid-joke. "I'm hanging up now!"

Through long experience, Jun recognized that she had pushed the teasing as far as she could. It was time to back off.

"Okay, okay! Sorry!"

"You're insufferable when you're single, you know," Azusa grumbled.

"You know me too well," Jun grinned. "And yes, I _am_ single. I have been for weeks now. Thanks for noticing."

Azusa let the comment pass, choosing instead to return to the subject of Tori.

"Anyway, she still plays – lead vocals and rhythm guitar – and she's got professional experience. She's really good, too."

"So what does this have to do with me?" Jun shrugged.

"We're thinking of forming a new band," Azusa informed her. "Tori would front it, and I'd play lead. We'll need a bassist. I was kind of hoping that would be you."

Jun gaped at her friend's image on the screen.

"My God, you're serious."

"Deadly serious."

Jun sat silent for a moment, absorbing the news. Usually, Azusa was quite cautious, and for her to call out of the blue like this to say she was forming a new band seemed unusually spontaneous.

"I don't get it, Azusa. Usually, you think things to death. I remember how you agonized for weeks over quitting your most recent band. This seems awfully sudden. I would expect you to plan something like this for months."

"It's because all the pieces are in place," Azusa countered. "Remember why I always said Steelflower failed?"

Azusa was referring to the Light Music Club band she and Jun had formed with Ui when they first arrived at JWU. Jun sighed, knowing what was coming.

"How could I not? We've been over this a thousand times. You won't let it go."

"Well, get ready for repetition number one thousand one. There were three reasons Steelflower failed. One, no reliable drummer. We could never find one good enough, except for Izumi-san, and we had her for all of one semester before she failed out of school. Two, none of us could write, so our original music sucked. And three – most important – none of us had the right mix of skills to front the band properly. We've got that last issue solved with Tori. I'm telling you, Jun, she could be our Yui."

It had always been Azusa's contention that none of them – she, Ui, or Jun – had the kind of charisma that could electrify an audience and serve as the focal point for the band's creative energy. This was what Yui did for HTT; it was the reason for their success, and Yui's band mates freely admitted it.

_Azusa's pretty stingy with praise. If she thinks this Tori chick is remotely like Yui, this new band might actually have a shot. But still, we'd need a good, studio-quality drummer, and those are hard to find…and what are we going to do for music? I don't want to be in yet another cover band._

"Okay, so let's say your friend fronts the band," Jun said out loud. "The other two issues you keep harping on are still there, and they look like pretty big holes in your plan to me."

Azusa shot Jun a smug look.

"I'm way ahead of you. I talked to Sumire earlier. She's agreed to sit in this weekend."

Taken by surprise once again, Jun stared at the laptop screen, momentarily speechless. Saitō Sumire, their former high school kōhai, was already an experienced professional musician at age 21. She was currently the drummer for Train Wreck, a hard rock group with a large following in Western Tōkyō.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Jun finally managed. "You'll never get her away from Train Wreck, not without a good reason. It's a steady gig, and it pays her pretty well. Why would she give that up?"

"Train Wreck plays mostly covers," Azusa replied. "Sumire told me she wants to be in a band that performs more original material. You've seen her in action, and you know how good she is. She's not that shy first-year we played with in high school anymore. Out of all of us, she's probably worked the hardest to improve, and it shows."

Having watched Sumire play live with Train Wreck, Jun had to grant the point.

"Okay, so Sumire is an excellent drummer. But what you just said still doesn't explain why she would simply walk away from a paying gig with a popular regional act to join a brand new start-up."

"Because she wants to be in a band with me again," Azusa explained patiently. "And I…sort of told her I was recruiting you to play bass. That got her even more excited. She feels so strongly about reuniting with you and me that if the first session goes well, she's willing to leave Train Wreck, no questions asked."

During the brief time she and Sumire had been in Wakaba Girls together, Jun had thoroughly enjoyed herself. As raw and inexperienced as they were, they had quickly understood each other musically. That she and the tall, blonde drummer would be together again in the same rhythm section seemed too good to be true.

"Wow…I …I don't know what to say," Jun stammered. "It would be just like old times. She and I had a lot of fun together back in the day. But we still have a problem of who's going to write for us. You and I can't do it to save our lives, and neither can Sumire, as far as I remember. What about Takeda-san?"

"She can't, either," Azusa admitted. "But I've got more good news. Sumire comes as part of a package deal. If we get her, we get Nao, too. Sumire won't join the band unless we take Nao as well. Given Nao's track record, this is not exactly a negative."

This was an even bigger surprise to Jun. Nao, their other high school kōhai, had studied music production in junior college, and was now working for Sunrise Animation. She was an experienced DJ, and she could write songs well. In fact, she had already written the opening theme for one of Sunrise's newest series, a song that became a major hit for the band that performed it and earned Nao a promotion as the studio's youngest assistant producer. If Nao joined the new band, it would not only solve the issue of original music, but her production and sound design skills would give the group tremendous creative flexibility.

"Whoa, are you serious?" she gasped. "Nao's really okay with this?"

Azusa grinned back at her from the video chat window.

"Are you kidding? She's really excited about it. Well, as excited as Nao gets, anyway. They both jumped at the chance, especially after they saw footage of Tori playing."

Jun sat back in her chair, rubbing her temples absently as she processed everything Azusa had said. She had to admit that her friend was making an excellent case. She seemed to have an answer for every one of Jun's objections.

"Okay, now you're a lot closer to convincing me," she conceded. "If Takeda-san even impressed Nao, you may be onto something. I'm going to have to see her in action myself, though."

"Pay attention to your screen. I'm going to paste in a link."

Jun tapped the track pad, and immediately began grumbling as the web page loaded.

"This is all in English. I can't read it."

Azusa sighed in frustration.

"Geez, how did you manage to earn a university degree? Fine. It's a cover of _Lips Like Morphine_ by Kill Hannah. This is Tori playing with Clarion. That was the professional band she fronted in the States before she moved here. Enough fooling around. Just play the clip, okay?"

Jun tapped the track pad once more.

_Oh, yeah, I recognize the number now. Wow, these guys are pretty good. Timing's really tight. They have a nice, fat sound, too, although the bass is bit far back in the mix for my taste. And…oh, my God, is that her?_

As the first verse began, the stage lights came up, revealing Clarion: three Caucasian men who looked to be in their thirties, and their lead singer, a young, very attractive Japanese woman playing a blue Gibson Les Paul Standard. Jun caught her breath, struck by the woman's beauty.

_Sweet merciful heavens, she's drop-dead gorgeous! Look at those curves! Azusa sure knows how to pick 'em…_

As Clarion blasted their way through the up-tempo alt-rock cover, Jun shook off the temptation simply to stare at Tori's chest, and instead forced herself to focus on the guitarist's performance. She liked the rhythm riffs Tori was grinding out, and thought her voice, a powerful yet still feminine-sounding mezzo-soprano, was more than strong enough for rock vocal work.

It wasn't these attributes that impressed Jun most, however. It was Tori's stage presence. The brunette couldn't tear her eyes from the pretty guitarist as she shuffled and power-posed and belted her way through the lyrics. The audience seethed in front of the stage like ocean waves, and Tori played them as expertly as she was playing her Gibson. Jun was caught up in the spell, which only released her when the video clip ended.

_Wow. She's a damned good rhythm player with a big, powerful sound, and the crowd loves her. She's almost as good as Yui…not quite, but almost. So she's exactly what we'd need. And even better, she's exactly my type. Yes indeed, having a band mate who's this easy on the eyes wouldn't hurt one bit…_

Somewhere along the way, the stream of thoughts converted to spoken words before Jun realized it.

"…I wonder if she likes girls."

At this statement, Azusa cleared her throat noisily.

"Earth to Jun!" she barked. "I'm forming a band here, not arranging your next hook-up!"

Realizing that she'd spoken her thoughts aloud, Jun blushed, and began to stammer.

"Um…er…look…i-…ignore what I just said, okay? I'm perfectly capable of being professional about all of this."

"Okay, then," Azusa said, still eyeing Jun somewhat suspiciously. "To answer your question, she's bi, but she has a boyfriend. So please just try to evaluate her as a potential band mate, and not as a potential bed mate. I have other clips of her in action. You want to see them?"

Jun shook her head.

"Maybe later. I've seen all I need to see, for the moment, anyway. You can email me the links."

"Well?" Azusa pressed, waiting expectantly for Jun's assessment.

"She's…very good. She had that audience eating out of her hand. Me too, even though I couldn't understand the lyrics. She's not Yui, but you're right – Steelflower could have used someone like her."

"So what do you think? You, me, Sumire, and Nao together again, with Tori as a bonus. Want to come to Hachiōji to jam with us?"

Jun thought for a moment. It was a tempting offer, not only because of Sumire's and Nao's involvement, but because it would also mean meeting Tori. Images of the beautiful guitarist were still flashing through her head. But her rational mind soon took control again, reminding her that Azusa was asking a lot of her.

"You'll have to bear with me, because I'm still thinking this through. You know that to be in this new band, I would have to move back to Hachiōji, especially if we were going to make a serious go of this. It would be a hassle to keep living in Shinjuku."

"What's the big deal?" was Azusa's impatient rejoinder. "You're always complaining about how expensive it is to live in the city. You've been talking about moving back with your parents for months."

"Yeah, I have," Jun conceded. "My bosses at _Arupejio_ would be cool with it – I would have to commute a couple days a week, and head into the city some weekends and evenings to catch shows to review, but otherwise it's mostly telecommuting. Space at home would be tight, though, because Acchan and his wife are living with mom and dad now. And it would be awkward because my parents aren't exactly supportive of my, um, orientation. The other thing I'm hesitant about is that I'd have to leave Laser. They may never be more than a club band, but I'm a good fit, and it's a regular, paying gig. Those aren't all that easy to come by, in case you hadn't noticed."

"I know how hard it is to get gigs," Azusa said sharply. "I've played professionally, too, you know, so you don't need to tell me that. Look, Jun, all I'm asking is for you to give this a chance. Although you have a weakness for making inappropriate jokes about sex, especially when you've been single for more than 24 hours, you're serious about your music, and you're very good at it. You're also – heaven help me – one of my closest friends, and we know each other so well musically. Those factors make you pretty much my first and only choice."

Azusa's voice took on an almost pleading tone.

"C'mon, Jun. This is our chance to play together again."

Jun shook her head, smiling at her friend's persistence.

"Azusa, you know I'd do anything for you. Except date you. With Yui around that'd be too dangerous. Okay, almost anything. But can I tell you something in all seriousness?"

"That would be a nice change, yes," Azusa deadpanned.

"There's one thing that still bothers me," Jun continued, pretending she didn't notice the sarcasm. "If this works out, it would basically be a Wakaba Girls reunion, with Takeda-san taking Ui's place. It feels weird without Ui."

"Yeah, but remember we promised Ui that if we had the chance to play together again, we would. Here's as good a chance as we're ever going to get. If you were serious about that promise to her, you'd find a way to do this."

At the mention of the promise, Ui's words on graduation day sounded in Jun's mind.

"_Someday, if you guys get the chance to re-form the band, do it even if I can't be in it with you. To know that you two are playing together again would make me really happy. Promise me."_

"Just commit to the one session for now, and see how it feels," Azusa continued. "Look at it this way: at least you'll get to play with Sumire and Nao again. And you'll get to meet Tori. She's a lot of fun. I think you guys would get along really well. Like I said, you can stay with me – my parents won't mind. I've got a spare practice amp you can use. Please, Jun, don't say no. This is our chance to keep our promise to Ui."

Jun's eyes met the electronic image of Azusa's for a long moment. Finally, the brunette nodded.

"Okay, it sounds like this is worth a trip home overnight, at least. Count me in."

* * *

_4/4/2015, 5:56 pm  
__Hachiōji Grand Victoria Wedding Chapel, Ōwadamachi 6-1-6, Hachiōji_

_Yui stood on the elevated patio outside the chapel entrance, leaning on the railing and staring vacantly at the line of buildings on the other side of the Asa River. In the basement of the building behind her, there was a party going on in celebration of the wedding of her beloved younger sister. To Yui, however, it might just as well been a funeral._

_By society's standards, Miyashiro Yasuhisa was an excellent catch. A recent University of Tokyo graduate, he was the scion of an upper-class Kyūshyū family. But Yui, who normally thought the best of people and made friends easily, had disliked Yasu on sight. She couldn't explain why, other than to say she didn't trust him, and didn't like how much control he had established over Ui. For his part, Yasu made no secret to Yui that the animosity was mutual, and that he viewed her close relationship with Ui as a threat. While he didn't yet dare malign Yui to Ui's face, he began working actively to pull the younger sister apart from the elder._

_When Yasu proposed, Ui was overjoyed. Yui, however, strongly opposed the marriage. She begged Ui not to accept, insisting Yasu was not a good match for her, but Ui dismissed her concerns. So great was Yui's love for Ui that she had relented, and she resolved to stay as encouraging as possible despite her deep reservations._

_But tonight, Yui could no longer keep up the façade. She had managed to get through the down-tempo acoustic arrangement of _U&I_ she sang during the reception, but the look of profound sadness in Ui's eyes, and the look of smug triumph in Yasu's, had been too much to bear. When all the speeches and songs in honor of the newly-married couple were done and the partying had begun in earnest, she had quietly slipped outside, taking refuge on the chapel patio to deal with her pain in solitude._

"_Why, Ui?" she whispered to the empty night, bowing her head as she clutched at the patio railing in despair._

"'_Mama and Papa expect at least one of us to get married and have children,'" said a voice. "'I'm willing to be the one to do it so Onē-chan can follow her dream.' That's what Ui told me, anyway."_

_Yui flinched in surprise, and her head snapped in the direction of the speaker. Azusa stood just outside the chapel door, her face etched with worry and compassion. Yui had been so preoccupied that she hadn't even heard her friend come outside. _

"_Azunyan!" Yui gasped. "How long…?"_

"_Not long at all," the tiny woman replied as she walked toward Yui. "Your mother noticed you were missing and asked me to find you."_

_At the mere sight of Azusa, Yui was overcome with the urge to throw herself into the younger woman's arms and sob. With very great effort, she held onto her self-control, as she had learned to do around Azusa through years of practice._

"_Stand here beside me," she pleaded, patting the railing next to her. "I really could use your company at the moment."_

_Azusa nodded, and moved to stand next to Yui at the railing. Almost by reflex, the brunette stepped behind the smaller woman, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and pulling her close._

"_It's…okay if I do this, right?" she asked hesitantly. _

"_Of course it's okay," Azusa agreed as she leaned back into Yui's embrace. "We're alone, after all."_

_The days of Yui clinging to Azusa gratuitously in public were long gone. During Azusa's first year at JWU, Yui had almost lost her friendship by showing excessive physical affection in public once too often. She had learned the hard way to keep her hugs private, and to ask first. Once she had done so, Azusa not only had stopped fighting the embraces, she began to return them willingly. Yui was glad for that, because now, more than ever, she needed the comfort their skinship brought._

_There were no further words exchanged. Azusa simply stood quietly with Yui's arms around her as they looked across the river, watching the sun set behind the Tama Hills, content simply to be with one another. After several minutes, Azusa finally broke the silence, and when she did, her voice was soft and soothing._

"_Tell me what's on your mind, Yui."_

_Yui hadn't wanted to burden Azusa with her troubles, but if her friend was willing to listen, she was ready to talk. _

"_I've lost her, Azunyan. I know she's doing this for me, but there's such a cost. She's the only one besides you who truly understands me. I rely so much on her being there for me, and I won't have that anymore. I could deal with it if I felt right about entrusting her to Miyashiro-san, but…"_

"…_but you think he's a bad choice," Azusa finished. "So do I. He's a control freak, and I don't like how he treats her like a possession. Believe me, I've had the same conversations with her you have. And yet, here we are."_

"_Yeah, here we are." Yui's voice wavered as her self-control began to break down. "I'm having a really hard time with this. I just feel so…powerless. He's not just marrying her – he acts like he's taking over ownership. He wants to take her away from everyone she cares about. From you and Jun-chan, and from Mama and Papa…and from me…"_

_Yui's eyes filled with tears as the sense of loss began to overwhelm her. Azusa, sensing her rush of emotion, pulled away slightly and turned so she could look Yui in the eye. Gently, she laid a finger on Yui's lips._

"_There's no need cry," she reassured the disconsolate brunette. "You'll upset Ui and your parents if they think you've been crying. Besides, everything's going to be okay. I'm here, and I'll stay here as long as you need me."_

_Usually, Yui found physical contact with Azusa energizing, but this time the touch of the finger on her lips had the opposite effect of calming her. Her tears disappeared almost as quickly as they'd come. She pulled her friend close again, thankful for the comfort._

"_I think I'm going to be okay," she sighed, winning the battle to keep herself together. "Miyashiro-san may take my sister away, but I still have Azunyan to lean on."_

_As the two women stood together in the gathering dusk, Yui felt a profound sense of gratitude for Azusa's friendship. She knew Yui in a way her band mates, and even Ui, did not – the way she thought, and what was important to her. With Ui being pulled in a different direction, Azusa was now Yui's primary source of emotional support. With sudden realization, Yui knew she had to hold onto this friendship at all costs. She resolved to do whatever it took to keep from losing Azusa the way she'd lost Ui._

"_Azunyan, never leave me, okay?" she pleaded. "Stay my friend, always. Don't ever give up on me. Please."_

"_We've been close friends for seven years," Azusa reminded her. "If I was going to turn my back on you, I'd have done it a long time ago. In fact, I think I deserve a medal for sticking with you this long."_

_Azusa's joke cut through the tension, and Yui couldn't suppress a giggle._

"_Azunyan is so mean," she pretended to scold._

_Azusa ignored the comment, opting instead to wriggle out of Yui's arms. She took a step toward the chapel door, then turned and motioned for Yui to follow her._

"_Come back inside," she ordered. "We need to get you cleaned up and back to the reception. For Ui's sake, and for your parents', smile. You're a professional performer, right? So perform. Ignore Miyashiro-san, and try to keep things positive. I'll be right beside you, so don't worry. Everything is going to be all right."_

_Smiling weakly, Yui nodded._

"_I know you will, Azunyan. I trust you completely."_

* * *

_3/19/2016, 12:51 pm  
__Mugi and Yui's Suite, Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott, Lantau, Hong Kong_

The cell phone lay on the nearby coffee table, next to the pile of empty room service dishes. It began to buzz, as it had countless times that day, continuing unheeded until whoever was calling finally gave up.

Yui, sitting listlessly in the easy chair nearby, barely noticed it. She simply sat staring through the sitting room window at the expanse of the South China Sea, thinking.

_I'm losing her. Just like I lost Ui._

She had been sitting in the same chair all morning and into the afternoon, doing nothing but eating Chinese comfort food and staring at the ocean, despite Mugi's best efforts to distract her. The blonde had finally given up and left as the latest room service order arrived. Yui wasn't sure where she'd gone, and didn't particularly care. Her mind was elsewhere.

The arrival of Tori in Azusa's life the previous week had shaken the foundations of Yui's reality. She knew the two women were thrown together quite a bit as co-workers, and that they were trying to start a band together, so it was expected that they would spend a lot of time together. This wasn't the real issue for Yui, however. It was the fact that Azusa's attention seemed to be monopolized by Tori and the new band. She barely returned Yui's emails now, and during their nightly phone calls, Azusa seemed less interested in what was going on in Yui's daily life, preferring to talk about what she and Tori had been up to. Yui felt marginalized, and that made her increasingly jealous. Her line of communication with Azusa seemed to be stretching thinner by the day.

That line had finally snapped the previous evening, when Yui's usual pre-concert phone call never came, and her attempts to call Azusa went straight to voice mail. Yui had immediately leaped to the conclusion that Azusa had ignored her in favor of spending time with Tori, and it had sent her reeling emotionally. The result was one of her weakest performances since turning professional, which had in turn dragged her band mates down with her. The concert was a debacle, and the band had been savaged for it in press that morning, not only in the local Hong Kong papers, but in the on-line Japanese media as well. Yui didn't care about any of that at the moment, however. She was focused on one thing, or rather one person.

_Azunyan…_

She wasn't sure exactly when she'd fallen in love with her longtime friend. The night of Ui's wedding was most likely the turning point, she thought. Her intuition about losing Ui to Yasu had proven painfully correct. She missed her sister terribly, and the only way she knew to ease the heartbreak was to lavish a double portion of attention and affection onto Azusa. And Azusa had responded in a way Yui hadn't expected, returning her affection freely. Almost before Yui knew it, friendship had blossomed into passion.

And yet there was a tiny voice in the back of her mind, the voice of doubt, which kept telling her Azusa was simply being a good friend to her. There was no way Azusa could actually love her, the voice said, because she wasn't the type who was attracted to other women. To confess was to be rejected, the voice declared.

She remembered the incident from her second year of university that had almost cost her Azusa's friendship. It was Steelflower's first performance, and Yui had been so proud that she'd run up on stage after the final song, before Azusa had even had a chance to take off her guitar, and hugged her in front of a crowd of hundreds of people.

_She told me that day that if I couldn't learn to respect her boundaries, I couldn't be her friend anymore. I stopped hugging her and calling her "Azunyan" in public after that, and we got so much closer because of it. _

_I was so afraid that if I told her I loved her, it would cross one of those boundaries she was talking about. I didn't want her to reject me. I thought it was better that she never know the truth. _

_But now, it looks like this Takeda-san is going for it, and that Azunyan likes her back. I should have spoken up for myself a long time ago, and now it's too late. I'm so stupid!_

Wrapped up in her despair, she didn't hear the door to the suite open, nor was she aware of the presence of another person in the room. For a long moment, there was silence, until a hand touched her shoulder.

"Yui-chan?" It was Mugi's voice. "We have a spa treatment scheduled for 13:00, remember?"

Yui's eyes never left the ocean horizon.

"You go ahead. I don't feel up to it. I just want to rest up before tonight's show."

Mugi hesitated.

"Yui-chan, I hate seeing you like this. I'll cancel the spa appointment if you want. Please…if I do that, will you let me stay and listen?"

Yui's eyes left the ocean and made their way to Mugi's. The deep concern she saw there flipped a switch in her brain, and she realized she needed to talk to someone. Who better than Mugi? With a sad smile, she nodded.

"Okay, Mugi-chan."

Mugi picked up the house phone, dialed a number, and spoke a few halting sentences in English. Satisfied, she replaced the handset, then sat in the desk chair facing Yui.

"Last night was…not one of HTT's finer moments, was it?" the blonde said slowly.

Yui slumped back in the easy chair, letting out a long, frustrated sigh.

"I'm really sorry about the concert. This isn't like me, and you know it. I'll bet you guys are still really upset with me. I deserve it, though."

Mugi shook her head.

"Actually, upset isn't the right word. It's more accurate to say we're all very worried. You're the band's emotional anchor, and when we're all stressing out, you kind of bring us back down to earth by being so cheerful. Nothing ever gets to you…at least that's what we all thought. Just over the past few days, though, you've been a different person. You haven't been smiling much lately, and you seem distracted. I've known you for nine years, and I've never seen you act this way. It's Azusa's friend, isn't it?"

Yui nodded wearily, and as Mugi listened patiently, she let everything out: her jumble of emotions over Azusa, and how threatened she felt by how close Azusa seemed to be getting to Tori.

"…and it's like she's been spending all her spare time with Takeda-san lately," the brunette finished. "I hardly hear from her now. And last night…last night, when she didn't call me before the concert, I figured she was having so much fun with Takeda-san that she forgot me. I depend on her so much, Mugi-chan. Hearing her voice…it's what gets me through the concerts. It's how I cope with touring. When I didn't get that call last night…I guess I kind of thought she didn't care anymore."

Mugi's bushy eyebrows knitted together in a frown.

"Yui-chan, please excuse me for being forward," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I've known Azusa-chan almost as long as I've known you, and I can't believe she would change practically overnight like this. The two of you have been so close for so long. To say she doesn't care about you anymore…are you sure you're being completely fair to her?"

Mugi's words struck a nerve, and left Yui unable to come up with an answer. Suddenly, all her worries seemed like those of a small child in the middle of a tantrum: completely selfish and unreasonable.

"Speaking of Azusa-chan, have you checked your phone lately?" the blonde continued.

Yui shook her head.

"No, I've pretty much been ignoring it. I don't really feel like talking to anyone, anyway."

"Well, when I was having lunch with Mio-chan, Ricchan, and Sawa-chan just now, I got a call from Azusa-chan," Mugi informed her. "It seems she's been trying constantly to get to you since this morning."

Yui froze, momentarily dumbfounded. Then, as if animated by 100,000 volts of electricity, she leaped from the easy chair, scrambling for the phone lying hitherto ignored on the coffee table. After the press of a button and two taps to the screen, her call log came up.

_N. Azusa 23 missed calls Last call 3/19/2016, 12:51_

"She dropped her phone and broke the touchscreen right before she was supposed to call you," Mugi explained while Yui stood gaping at her phone's display. "And then her router crashed as she was trying to email you from her laptop. Her parents were at a concert, Takeda-san was visiting her grandparents in Akiruno, and there was no one else she felt comfortable going to for help, so she had no way to contact you until she got a new phone this morning. You need to call her, Yui-chan. She's worried sick about you."

"I…I will…right now…"

_Oh, God…I totally screwed everything up! Takeda-san wasn't even with her last night. How could I doubt her like this? I feel like such a dummy!_

Mugi stood up, and, moving gracefully like the_ ojō _she was, crossed the room toward the door of the suite. When she reached it, she pulled it open, then paused and turned back toward the brunette.

"Yui-chan, you're not fooling anyone, least of all me," she declared with unusual candor. "You're in love with her, despite what you say. Don't bother denying it. Why else would you be so possessive? If you told Azusa-chan how you really feel, you might be surprised to find that this was all quite unnecessary."

With a flip of her long, honey-blonde hair, Mugi was gone. Almost before the door latched behind her, Yui's fingers were flying over her phone's touchscreen. The ringback music began to play, and as it continued for several seconds, Yui began to panic.

_Pick up, Azunyan! Please…_

Finally, the music stopped, and Yui heard Azusa's anxious words come tumbling through the phone's earpiece.

"Yui? Oh, Yui! I'm so sorry! Did Mugi tell you what happened? Are you okay?"

Tears began to form in Yui's eyes, and the sudden surge of emotion she felt on hearing Azusa's voice made it hard to talk.

"Azunyan…I…miss you so much…I'm…sorry, too…"

Azusa ignored the apology as her torrent of words continued.

"I'm so glad you finally called me back. I've been really worried. The music sites are going crazy over last night's concert. Not in a good way, either. The on-line press is filled with rumors that that you're sick, or having a nervous breakdown, or even that you were drunk or high or something. Please tell me you're okay."

Yui flopped down into the easy chair, overwhelmed with relief at finally connecting with Azusa.

"Never mind what the press says," she said dismissively. "I'm perfectly fine. It's just that…I didn't hear from you before the concert, and I lost it. I acted like an idiot. I could barely play…forgot lyrics…messed up the song order, you name it. It was a real mess."

Azusa gasped in shock.

"Oh, God, Yui, I'm so sorry!"

"No, no, it's okay," Yui said hurriedly. "Mugi-chan told me everything. Oh, Azunyan, I was so afraid. I thought you were hanging out with Takeda-san, and that you got distracted, and…forgot about me…"

There was a long moment of silence on the other end of the line.

"Yui, listen carefully." Azusa spoke very slowly and firmly. "I've told you before, and I will tell you again. There's no one closer to me than you are. Me being friends and co-workers with Tori, and starting a band with her, have not changed that. Yui is Azusa's number one. There is no other."

On hearing this, Yui felt a stab of guilt.

"I…I'm sorry for doubting that," the brunette said penitently. "I…I won't anymore. I can hardly wait to get back home to you. I want to see you so badly."

"One more day, Yui," Azusa gently reassured her. "You've got one more concert tonight, and then you're home tomorrow."

The thought of being back in Hachiōji, and seeing Azusa once more, caused Mugi's words of just a few minutes earlier to echo through Yui's mind.

"_If you told Azusa-chan how you really feel, you might be surprised to find that this was all quite unnecessary."_

_Does Mugi-chan know something I don't? Would Azunyan accept me? I'll never know unless I speak up for myself. If Azunyan and I had an understanding, I wouldn't have to worry about anyone else taking her from me, especially Takeda-san. But if she rejects me…no. I've got to take the risk. Things can't go on like this._

"Azunyan, I was serious when I said I wanted to see you as soon as I got into town. Would you, um, have dinner with me tomorrow night? There's something really important I need to tell you. It's something I should have said a long time ago, and just today I realized that it can't wait any longer."

"I think I have a feeling what it is," Azusa replied quietly. "I've been waiting so long to hear it. Why not tell me now?"

"Some things just need to be said face to face. But don't worry. I'll be home tomorrow, and then we can settle this once and for all."

"Dinner tomorrow, then…I can't wait. Hurry home to me, Yui."

For the first time since before the previous evening's concert, Yui smiled.

"I will, Azunyan."

* * *

**A/N:**

− Thanks to my talented and long-suffering editor and creative partner Musician74 for her valuable assistance during the writing of this chapter.

− At JWU, it is the custom for graduating students to wear _kimono_. I'm not sure if this is a common practice in Japan, or a distinctive of JWU itself.

− A _"one-room mansion"_ is a one-person apartment that is common in Japanese cities. It is similar to an American-style studio apartment, although as a rule it is much smaller (typically 10 square meters, or 110 square feet).

− _Ni-chōme_ is a district in Tōkyō's Shinjuku Ward. It is the hub of LGBT activity in the greater Tōkyō area.

− _O-Nest_ is a real live house located in the Maruyama section of Shibuya Ward, Tōkyō. It's known for showcasing up-and-coming rock bands.

− In Japan, relatively few people in the music industry attend university. Those who enroll in post-secondary education at all typically attend vocational school or a specialized junior college. Usually, a vocational program centered on pop or rock music performance, production, or concert management lasts two years, although there are exceptions.

− _Lips Like Morphine,_ performed by the American alt-rock group Kill Hannah, was a top-40 hit in the U. S. in 2006. You can watch the music video on YouTube (search on qW7G4tVwXOw). Presumably, Clarion's arrangement was pitched higher to fit Tori's vocal range.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	3. Chapter 3: Metamorphosis

**A/N:**

**_WARNING! This story is rated M _**because of the strong lesbian theme throughout, and because there are occasional explicit depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative (although not in every chapter). Read at your own risk.

**_DISCLAIMER! _**I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Metamorphosis**

_3/20/2016, 1:10 pm  
__Keiokatakura Station, Katakuramachi 3-9-4, Hachiōji_

As the electric train pulled away from the station, Tori checked her cell phone. The departure was exactly on time, which didn't surprise her in the least. Nevertheless, she couldn't hold back a smirk.

_As expected for a Japanese train – everything here is run so precisely. It's not at all like it is in the States. There's a down side, though – if I'm late, I can't blame it on the train anymore. Oh, well…I'll be on time today, at least. The shock will probably kill Azu. _

To her relief, the car she was in wasn't crowded, so she was able to squeeze her two guitars, the Gibson Les Paul Standard and the Martin X Series acoustic-electric, as well as the backpack containing her tablet computer, effects boxes, and cables, into the empty window seat next to her. It was a tight fit, because the Martin's hard-shell case took up a lot of room, but she finally got everything situated.

As she settled in for the eight-minute ride to Naganuma, she tapped at her phone's screen, looking over the set list Azusa had emailed her on Friday. Because this was just a get-acquainted jam session, the songs were all j-rock standards. There was no point to working on any original music, because other than Azusa and Tori, none of prospective members had formally decided to join the band yet.

_I'm definitely the weak link. These girls know all these tunes…pretty much every club band in this country has covered them at some point. But I'm going to be sight-reading most of them, and that means I'm going to be in catch-up mode all afternoon. Azu gave me electronic copies of all the tabs, including the lyrics, but sight-reading's not the same as knowing the music. I hope this goes well. I really want to make a good impression on these guys. _

With a shrug, she decided there was no point worrying about practice until it actually started. She was nervous enough as it was, and if she obsessed over it she'd give in to the anxiety, and wouldn't be able to show well in front of the others. She reasoned it was best to think about something else for a while, so she closed Azusa's email and stuffed the phone in her pocket.

Searching for a diversion, she stared through the window at the power poles lining the track as they swept past the train in a blur. Tori smiled, because the image called to mind how rapidly things had changed during the 13 days she'd been in Japan.

It had seemed like such a good idea in her head when she first accepted the para-educator job, but the enormity of moving to another country hadn't hit home until she'd actually landed in Tōkyō. Despite being an ethnic Japanese and fluent in the language, she still had to get used to the culture after being gone for eight years. Early in that first week, she came to realize just how much of an adjustment it was going to be.

As she went about finding an apartment and getting settled, she wound up spending a lot of time reflecting on her decision to move to Japan – certainly more time than she'd spent thinking it through before she'd left the States. Within just a few days of her arrival, she was beginning to wonder why she'd come there at all.

_It's just like me to make a life decision based on gut feeling…like this one. I still can't decide if I'm in Japan because I'm looking for something I feel I'm missing, or because I'm running away from something I don't want to face. Is doing this going to help me grow up, or keep me from it? And what am I going to do about Jackson? God, I wish I knew all the answers. _

Jackson was one of the reasons she was in Japan. She had decided she needed the space that came with a long-distance separation to help her reevaluate their complicated situation. However, she didn't want to think about him, or about all the issues with their two-year relationship. Not today, anyway. All that would do was shift her focus off where it needed to be: the upcoming rehearsal.

She was unsure of a lot of things, but not music. It was vitally important to her, and she'd worked hard to become a polished professional. Despite her youth, she'd built an excellent reputation in the Bay Area as a vocalist and rhythm guitarist, most recently with Clarion. Unfortunately, she knew full well there was a limit to what she was going to achieve with them. Clarion, as popular as they were, would never be more than a cover band. She had already been on the verge of quitting the group in frustration, because she wanted to play original music, while the other members were quite comfortable playing other bands' songs. However, she hadn't been able to find the right group to catch on with. When she took the job in Japan, it seemed like an opportunity for the fresh start that had eluded her in the States.

Still, relocating to Japan was a risky move, because the music scene in Western Tōkyō was unknown territory to her. Even though she could pass for being a native, she didn't know any of the locals in the industry, and was therefore going to have to build her network from scratch. It was going to be an uphill battle to break in. At least, that was what she thought before her sudden, unexpected reunion with Azusa.

The announcement that the train was arriving in Naganuma interrupted her thoughts, and as the train pulled to a stop, she exited onto the station platform, fumbling for her cell phone while juggling the two guitar cases and the backpack.

_Okay, I've got the address in my GPS app. Azu said it was less than ten minutes' walk. Now, which way? Hmm…okay, the app says to turn right, so it must be those stairs over there._

Since it was Sunday, the platform at the suburban station was deserted, except for a lone man standing near the top of the stairway she was headed for. He was older, maybe in his forties, and was formally dressed in a black suit and tie. In his hands was a large, hand-lettered placard. Tori guessed he was a hired limousine driver waiting for a client to arrive. As she approached the man, however, she looked at the placard more closely, and found that the name written on it was hers. She blinked at the man in surprise.

"Um, I am Takeda Natsumi. This is, uh, unexpected. I was prepared to walk."

His face expressionless, the man bowed politely. When he replied, it was with the formal speech of a domestic.

"My name is Nakayama, and I have the honor to serve as the Kotobuki family's driver. I have been requested to transport Takeda-sama to the family's estate. May I take Takeda-sama's baggage?"

_Oh, my God. They sent a driver for me. Kotobuki Tsumugi's personal driver. Pinch me – I must be dreaming._

Despite her excitement at getting the same privileged treatment that the girls in HTT no doubt enjoyed daily, Tori winced inwardly at letting anyone else touch her prized possessions. She had saved for years to be able to buy the ¥400,000 worth of guitars she was carrying. However, it seemed rude to refuse Nakayama's offer, so after a moment's hesitation, she handed over the guitar cases, opting to retain the backpack, and followed the chauffeur down the stairs to a waiting Lexus limousine.

Under her watchful eye, Nakayama gently placed her instruments in the trunk, then held the rear door open for her. As she sank into the luxuriously cushioned rear seat, Tori breathed a sigh of appreciation.

_Any ride would have beaten walking, but this is sheer heaven…one of the perks of being rich, I guess. And it's probably the same car Hirasawa-san and the others ride in every day. I'll bet Azu arranged this. I'll have to remember to thank her._

As the Lexus headed south across the Kitano Highway, rapidly moving from suburban sprawl to rural forest, Tori thought about how reuniting with Azusa had completely changed her circumstances in less than a week.

Azusa was another major reason that Tori had jumped at the chance to return to Japan. She had no explanation for this, other than that she had an unshakable feeling that the two of them were meant to cross paths again. Back in junior high, they had been best friends, and Tori had never forgotten the tiny girl who had been her muse in those days. The memories of their time together had stayed with her, including the promise she had made to Azusa the day she left Hachiōji.

"_Don't give up guitar. I know I won't. Someday, when I'm old enough to do it on my own, I'll come back to Japan, and we'll play together again."_

In hindsight, the expectation of rekindling a long-ago friendship seemed silly, like a schoolgirl flight of fancy. Tori hadn't seen Azusa since she'd left Japan, and they had lost touch after they graduated from high school. She wasn't sure Azusa would be interested in resuming their friendship, whether or not she still played guitar, or if she would remember Tori at all. There was a possibility she wasn't even living in the Tōkyō area anymore. Even so, Tori felt compelled by the promise. Now that she'd returned to Japan, she had wondered how she would go about contacting Azusa, or if it was even possible.

That uncertainty had vanished when she walked into the second-floor staff room at Sakuragaoka the previous Monday. Against all odds, there was Azusa, and they were now colleagues. Tori still could hardly believe it. Their reunion was too coincidental to be anything other than fate. The moment she laid eyes on her old friend, she stopped questioning her decision to return to Japan.

Despite their long separation, the complicated feelings Tori had experienced during junior high returned almost immediately. Azusa looked as adorable as she had the day they'd parted eight years earlier, and Tori immediately felt attracted to her. It was as if she had been transported back in time to the days when Azusa represented everything she thought she valued.

Unfortunately, eight years is a long time, and people have a tendency to grow apart when separated for that long. As the two women had gotten reacquainted over the previous week, Tori was forced to admit that adult Azusa seemed much different from the 15-year-old junior high school student she remembered.

_She's a gifted guitarist, and she shares my passion for music. But she's stuffy, over-thinks even the littlest things, has a lousy sense of humor, and is anything but spontaneous – not at all my type. Not only that, she's totally in love with Hirasawa-san – why the hell are they not girlfriends? I don't get that – and I could never compete with someone like that. _

_It's actually better this way. Sleeping with a band mate…I made that mistake with my first band in high school. It may work for some, but not for me. No, there could never be anything between Azu and me. She's much better as a friend than as a lover. And lucky for me, she's a hell of a good friend._

To Tori's delight, she and Azusa had not only clicked musically, but their two-woman jam sessions had been so productive that forming a band seemed the natural next step. The end result was this trip, and the prospect of a new musical venture. Things couldn't have worked out any better if she'd planned them herself.

_It's like everything's finally falling into place, musically speaking. I am _not_ going to blow this chance._

* * *

_3/20/2016, 1:29 pm  
__Kotobuki Family Estate, Naganumamachi 598, Hachiōji_

The Lexus rounded a bend in the road and pulled up to a security gate, where it was immediately waved through by the guard. There was a house on the other side of the wall behind the gate, and Tori assumed that was where they were headed, although it seemed a bit small to be a grand residence for a rich family. To her surprise, however, they passed it by, and as the limousine wound along the access road, they passed another building, and then another.

Tori's astonishment grew by the moment. She knew from reading the HTT fan sites that Mugi was from a wealthy family, and Azusa had told her how impressive the Kotobuki estate was, but she was unprepared for the scale of it all.

"Just how big is this place?" she asked incredulously.

"There are nine buildings altogether, Takeda-sama," the driver replied. "I have been instructed to take you to the Carriage House, Ojō-sama's private residence. It is at the extreme rear of the compound."

_Kotobuki-san's private residence! That's where she and the others live when they're in town! Oh, my God…maybe I'll get to meet them today…no, their web site says they're on tour. Damn. _

As the Lexus rounded one final bend, and Tori caught her breath. To her right was one of the largest private houses she had ever seen in Japan. It was as big as a medieval castle. To her left was a smaller house, probably half the size of the first one, but still large enough to fit both of Tori's grandparents' houses inside it with room to spare. It was to this second building that Nakayama drove her.

The Lexus pulled around the side of the Carriage House, stopping beside what looked like the rear entrance. Nakayama opened the car door for her, and she climbed out, trying not to gape at the building.

_I still can't believe I'm going to be practicing inside Kotobuki-san's actual house. _

After a moment, she forced herself to stop fangirling over HTT, and returned her focus to the day's rehearsal. After retrieving her guitar cases from the waiting Nakayama, she looked at him questioningly.

"Okay, how do I get to the studio?"

"Takeda-sama should use this entrance," the chauffeur informed her, gesturing toward the nearby door. "The stairs to the studio are to the immediate right. At the bottom, there will be two doors. The one on the right is the studio entryway. Shall I assist Takeda-sama?"

"No, I've got it," Tori smiled. "Thank you for taking care of my guitars, Nakayama-kun, and for the comfortable drive."

For the first time, there was the barest trace of a smile on Nakayama's heretofore expressionless face. He bowed formally, then held open the door for Tori.

She called out the usual greeting to the empty hallway, more out of habit than anything else, then took the stairs as Nakayama had instructed. As she descended, her anticipation over meeting her potential band mates grew, and so did her nervousness. She wondered what the other three women were like.

_God, I really hope they're as nice as Azu said they were. From what she told me, the bassist sounds like a lot of fun. It might take a bit longer for the others to warm up, though. I guess I'll be okay if I don't push it too hard or forget my manners._

_I really hope they like me. Japanese can be pretty cold to foreigners. Even though I look like a native, and I'm fluent in Japanese, I need to remember I'm still an American._

The door at the base of the stairs opened on a small entry area containing another two doors. The one directly in front of her was solid, with a large handle. The door to the right had a window, and through it Tori was surprised to see a fully functional production control room, complete with a computer workstation and a 32-track sound board.

After opening the solid door – a process that took some effort because it was soundproofed, and therefore heavy – she found herself in the practice studio. As she set her belongings down by the door and pulled it shut behind her, she took a moment to examine the room. It was large, with enough space for at least two rock bands and all their equipment. There were practice speakers, amps, and cables everywhere. A baby grand piano sat in a corner on a wheeled stand.

_This is quite a set-up. Soundproofed, with a control room…it's a mini recording studio. It must have cost millions of yen. Is this really where HTT practices? Must be nice. Clarion practiced in a rented garage. Ugh! I can still smell the diesel fuel._

In the center of the room, Tori saw a cluster of four women preparing for rehearsal. One of them was Azusa; the others were clearly the musicians her friend had recruited as potential band members.

To the left, behind a table containing a laptop, a DJ console, an electronic turntable, and an assortment of boxes and cables, stood a woman a few centimeters shorter than Tori, dressed entirely in black and wearing black, horn-rimmed glasses. Her jet-colored hair was cut to jaw level, with the locks in front tucked behind her ears and held in place by the earpieces of her glasses. Her face wore a serious expression as her fingers tapped at her laptop's touch pad.

As she worked, the _meganekko_ was carrying on a conversation with a very attractive, foreign-looking blonde who was twirling a set of drum sticks in her fingers. Nearby stood the blonde's drum set: a black Yamaha Rock Tour six-piece that was surrounded by a forest of at least a half-dozen cymbals of various sizes. The drummer, who was several centimeters taller than everyone, including Tori, was wearing a blue leotard topped with an oversized white a-shirt that was knotted at the hip. Her flaxen hair was tied back into a single ponytail to keep it out of the way. As she drank from a water bottle, Tori thought she looked like a European fitness model dressed for an aerobics workout rather than a Japanese rock drummer preparing to rehearse.

To Tori's right, talking animatedly with Azusa, was a slender woman holding a black, five-string Ibanez bass. A bit taller than the _meganekko_, she was dressed in a pair of baggy jeans, a tight, red t-shirt bearing the logo of some j-rock band Tori had never heard of, and a pair of bright red sneakers that matched the shirt. Her frizzy, dyed-chestnut hair was gathered into two short pigtails on either side of her head. The combined effect of her clothing and hairstyle gave her a butchy appearance Tori instantly found appealing.

_That's the one Azu told me about. Wow, she's cute. She looks like she's a bit of a free spirit, just like Azu described her._

After a moment, the bassist made eye contact with Tori, smiling as if she recognized her. She said something to Azusa, who turned to look in Tori's direction, then headed over to greet her. Tori addressed her friend with the usual informality.

"Hey."

"You're early," Azusa noted dryly. "I just lost a ¥100 bet. Thanks a lot."

Tori rolled her eyes.

"I would have been on time even without the ride. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Don't thank me, thank Sumire," Azusa replied, nodding toward the blonde. "She's the one who called in the favor to get the chauffeur to come out on a Sunday. Come meet everyone."

Tori followed Azusa to where the others were gathered, chatting among themselves.

"All right, you guys, listen up," Azusa ordered. She turned and looked at Tori, waiting for her to speak. Tori took the cue, and, smiling as brightly as she could, bowed formally.

"How do you do? My name is Takeda Natsumi. Please call me by my English nickname, Tori. Nice to meet you."

There was a chorus of "nice to meet you" in response. Formalities concluded, Tori turned to the bespectacled woman in black.

"And this is…?"

"Okuda Nao," the woman said, eyeing Tori coolly. "Producer and DJ."

"Okuda-san," Tori replied. She found the way Nao was looking at her to be a bit unsettling. It was as if she was a scientist, and Tori was her experimental subject.

_Hmm. She's definitely sizing me up. I'm not sure how to read her. I'm going to have to go slowly with this one. Still, she seems nice enough. A bit reserved. She doesn't look like a musician, though. More like a really cute accountant. _

After nodding and smiling at Nao, Tori turned to the blonde.

"Saitō Sumire," the tall woman said, holding up her drum sticks. "It's probably pretty clear what my role is. Please, I'd be honored if you used my given name."

In contrast to Nao's cool detachment, Sumire fairly radiated warmth. She was quite beautiful, Tori thought, with sky-blue eyes, pale, almost translucent skin, and a smile that lit up the room. She wondered why a Caucasian would have such an obviously Japanese name, until she remembered Azusa telling her that Sumire had been born in Japan of Austrian parents who were long-time Kotobuki domestics.

_Azu said Sumire-san and Okuda-san have been girlfriends since their second year of high school. Wow, that's…what did she tell me? Five years? It's going to be interesting to see the way they interact, and how well they keep things professional. I'm not sure I could do it. I definitely wouldn't want to be in the same band with Jackson. Nothing I'd do would ever be good enough._

She shook off the passing thought of her boyfriend, and managed to smile at the drummer.

"Sumire-san," she replied, confirming that she accepted Sumire's offer of being on a first-name basis. "Thank you for arranging a ride from the station for me. Your driver treated me extremely well."

"Nakayama-kun is a good man," Sumire beamed. "I'll make sure Ojō-sama knows you were pleased with his services."

Tori turned to the bassist, and found herself looking into a pair of intense, dark-brown eyes. There was something intriguing in them that caught her attention.

"Suzuki Jun, bassist extraordinaire," the brunette proclaimed. "Once you play with me, you'll never forget me."

_Ooh, I like this girl's confidence. "Play with," huh? Nice double-entendre. Her sense of humor's a bit naughty, it seems. Let's see how quick-witted she is._

"Is that because you hit so many wrong notes?" Tori asked with feigned innocence.

"It's because I play bass the way I make love to a beautiful woman," Jun shot back, smirking impudently. "I happen to be very good at both, and it shows on stage."

"She's at it again," Tori heard Nao mutter to Sumire. "Tsk. So forward."

"As expected for Jun-san," the blonde replied, nodding in agreement.

Jun, ignoring their sarcasm, waited expectantly for Tori's rejoinder. The guitarist decided to go for the jugular.

"'Play bass'…'make love'…so are you trying to say that you do _ecchi_ things with your bass onstage? Okay, this I've got to see."

Jun's jaw dropped, as did Sumire's and Azusa's, but for the first time there was a hint of a smile on Nao's face.

"Touché," the black-clad woman deadpanned. "Well played, Takeda-san."

Jun struggled, and failed, to come up with a reply. The look on her face was so comical that Tori couldn't help bursting into laughter. Sumire joined her, and after a moment, so did Jun. Nao's smile broadened perceptibly.

"You got me," the bassist admitted ruefully, giggling at herself along with the others. After the laughter died away, Azusa shook her head and sighed wearily.

"Geez, what is it with you two and sex jokes? I never should have allowed you to be in the same room with each other."

"Hey, she started it!" Tori protested, with a sly glance at Jun.

"Why, you-…I wasn't the one who used the word '_ecchi_'!" Jun sputtered.

By this point, Azusa had had enough.

"Okay, you two need to knock it off," she ordered. "We're wasting practice time. Nao, could you get Tori set up, please?"

Jun smiled knowingly at Tori, who couldn't resist smiling back at her.

_It seems I have a kindred spirit when it comes to joking. Poor Azu doesn't know what she's in for._

At Azusa's words, the women headed to their respective instruments to make last-minute preparations. Tori chose floor space between Azusa and Jun, pulled out her guitars, and arranged them on their stands. She had just finished setting up her effects boxes when Nao approached her.

"Takeda-san, this is for you," the _meganekko_ said. She handed Tori a wireless headset, and after showing her how to operate its microphone, she gestured toward her table. "Plug your output cable into the top box on the stack, into the jack with the red ring around it."

"You're not going to use the board in there?" Tori asked, nodding toward the control room window.

"No, I'll handle the mix from my console."

Tori nodded, and went back to connecting her cables. When she had finished, she began rummaging around in her backpack, looking for her electronic tuner. With a rising sense of panic, she found not only was it not in the backpack, it wasn't in either guitar case. Then she remembered it was on the desk in her apartment, where she'd left it the last time she played her acoustic. She slapped her palm to her forehead in frustration.

_Dammit! I just knew I was going to miss some important detail. Now these guys are going to think I'm unprofessional. There's no way I'm going to ask Azu – she'll never let me live this down. Better ask Suzuki-san._

She turned to Jun, who was standing a few feet away, to ask to borrow her tuner. To her surprise, she found the brunette already staring at her. It was not a casual glance, either. Jun's eyes were locked firmly onto Tori's chest, and there was a speculative look in them that left Tori with no doubt about what was going on inside that frizzy-haired head.

_She's totally checking me out. Okay, she's doing more than that – she's undressing me in her mind. Talk about being obvious. Normally, I hate when people do this, but with this girl, it's flattering somehow…_

Trying to keep a straight face, Tori cleared her throat to get Jun's attention. She leaned closer and spoke so only the brunette could hear her.

"Um, Suzuki-san? My face is up here."

In response to Tori's words, Jun's gaze shifted upward. Her mischievous smile was almost a leer.

"Yeah, it is," the bassist replied in the same low voice. "It's really pretty, too. I could drown in those eyes. But I like the view about 50 centimeters lower a lot better. Call me Jun, by the way."

_Whoa. She's about as subtle as a car crash. Geez, throwing herself at me like this…I can't resist having a little fun before I shoot her down…_

"Well, then, Jun-san, I can't stop you from staring," Tori said, lowering her eyes coyly. "To be honest, I don't dislike it when a cute girl looks at me."

"You should probably get used to it," Jun grinned. "I plan on doing a lot of looking."

The brunette winked, and Tori smiled inwardly. This was going exactly the way she wanted. She pretended to stretch, arching her back for effect. It worked; the bassist was practically drooling.

"Look all you want," Tori said with a suggestive smile. "But no touching during rehearsal."

Jun stifled a gasp. She had taken the bait.

"Not during rehearsal, huh?" she quickly countered, her eyes gleaming. "Then let's, um, discuss this afterward. In the control room. Just the two of us."

By overplaying her hand, Jun had set herself up perfectly for the kill. Tori decided it was time for the death blow.

"There's nothing to discuss," the guitarist retorted. "I'm flattered you find me attractive, but we just met, so there won't be any 'discussion' in the control room. I'm not that kind of girl, and besides, I'm already spoken for. Anyway, I've got other things on my mind at the moment, like this rehearsal. Can I borrow your tuner?"

Jun blinked in surprise at Tori's abrupt dismissal, then blushed in confusion and embarrassment as the words sank in. The rebuff had clearly caught her off guard.

"Um…sure," she replied uncertainly, handing over the device.

With a sunny smile, Tori thanked the bassist, then began tuning her guitars. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jun unplug her bass and begin running through a blistering series of unamplified arpeggios. There was a look of such frustration on the brunette's face that Tori had to work very hard to keep from laughing out loud again.

_Okay, now I feel bad…kind of. She was really aggressive, but I probably shouldn't have led her on like that. She seems like a good sport, though, so I'll talk to her later and let her know there are no hard feelings. _

_Still…I can see I have to get it into that frizzy head of hers that I'm not available. Too bad, though. She really is cute as hell, and funny, too. Definitely my type._

After she finished tuning, she ran through a brief voice warm-up, then put on the headset and strapped on her Gibson. By that time, the others were ready, as well, and after Nao ran them through sound checks, Azusa took charge.

"All right, let's warm up with a number Tori's familiar with: _Un Rock Star_."

_Oh, thank God – we're starting off with an Orange Range song. Azu's got my back. She knows I can play all their hits in my sleep, and it'll give me a perfect chance to make a strong first impression. Okay, Takeda, you can do this. Time to kick ass._

Sumire crashed through the four bars of the drums-only intro. With a deep breath, Tori joined her on the downbeat of the fifth bar, singing and playing her Gibson with as much energy as she could muster. As soon as she struck the first chord, the nerves left her, and she felt certain that things were going to work out just fine.

* * *

_3/20/2016, 4:45 pm  
__Basement Studio, "The Carriage House," Kotobuki Family Compound, Naganumamachi 598, Hachiōji_

As the group entered the final 16 bar instrumental section of Chatmonchy's _Mayonaka Yū-enchi, _Jun was caught up in the rush of performing. A whirl of motion, the bassist stomped a sneakered foot and flipped her head up and down so that her pigtails bounced along with the beat.

Directly in front of her, Sumire was attacking her drum set with the furious intensity that had become her trademark as a member of Train Wreck. A meter or so to Jun's right, as she had been most of the afternoon, was Tori, rocking back and forth over her Gibson as she ground out the rhythm riff. Azusa stood on the other side of Tori, power-posing in a way that made her seem much taller as the syncopated octaves of the lead guitar line pumped from her Mustang through the nearby stack of practice speakers.

Jun's bass line ventured into the upper register, staking out the sonic space directly underneath the eighth-note chords Tori was chopping out. The rhythm guitarist's eyes met Jun's, and she flashed a smile. Turning to face each other, the two women finished out the final eight bars standing pick-up to pick-up.

As they headed into the twelve-chord ensemble riff that marked the end of the song, the two guitarists and Jun watched Sumire carefully, cueing off of her movements to get the ending's tricky timing right. To Jun's delight, it came off without a hitch, as the four musicians hit every note in perfect synchronization. They held the final sustained chord until Sumire hit her floor tom, and the song was over.

"Okay, everybody, take a quick break, but don't put anything away," Azusa ordered. "We have one more number, but I want to give Tori's voice a rest. Nao, how were the levels on that?"

As she removed her headset, Jun decided to leave Azusa and Nao to their discussion of the sound mix. Gently, she placed her Ibanez on its stand, staring at it for a moment as she thought back over what had been an eventful three hours.

At the very beginning, things had gone less than smoothly as the five women got used to working with each other. They were professionals, however, and after some quick adjustments, they had begun to function as a unit. By mid-rehearsal, everyone had gotten really excited about playing together. When Azusa had polled each of them on their intentions of joining the new band, there was no resistance from anyone. Jun, Nao, and Sumire had all agreed enthusiastically to sign on.

At Azusa and Jun's insistence, the new group was christened Steelflower, in homage to their old college band. The others readily embraced the name, because, in Tori's words, it was "badass, but still feminine – a perfect name for an all-female rock band."

She couldn't speak for the others, but agreeing to join Steelflower was an easy decision for Jun. She hadn't wanted to tell Azusa this, but she was leaning very strongly in the direction of joining the group even before she'd left Tōkyō, and that day's practice would have to have been a disaster for her to back out. It was first and foremost about the promise to Ui, but it was also about her friendship with Azusa.

_This is really important to her. She has this vision of performing at Budokan, and I want to help her fulfill it. The thing is, with a lot of work and a little luck I think we can actually do it. Playing in a band with these guys wouldn't be a job. It would be five friends having fun. That's a big difference, and it's bound to show on stage. _

_I guess it's because we have the right mix of people. All the pieces are in place, including the most important one. Azusa is right. Tori could be our Yui. She's the one who's going to make us successful._

Jun stole another look at the rhythm guitarist, trying to keep her observation covert as Tori dug a throat lozenge out of her backpack and popped it into her mouth. She had been quite friendly to Jun during the rehearsal, talking to her more than any of the others, and they had established an easy rapport while playing. However, the brunette was still deeply ashamed of how she'd acted toward Tori during their encounter at the beginning of practice, and she had made a conscious effort to hold back during their interactions since.

_I'm such an ass for throwing myself at her like that. I was acting like a horny teenage boy. She smacked me down hard, and I deserved it. What the hell was I thinking? But she's so pretty, and so talented, and such a nice person, that I just couldn't help it. _

_I feel even worse now that we've played together. The woman's an amazing musician. Beautiful and talented…she's checking all the boxes on my list. Oh, God, how am I going to play in a band with this gorgeous creature? I'm going to die of frustration, I just know it._

_What sucks the most is that I've probably blown it for good because I misread the situation and let my hormones take control. Dammit!_

Tori sensed she was being watched, and before Jun could look away, the raven-haired guitarist turned to face the flustered bassist. Caught in the act, Jun blushed, but Tori only responded with a friendly smile.

"You've been awfully quiet today, Jun-san," she noted. "At least you have been when we've not been playing. What's the matter? Are you not speaking to me now?"

"I wasn't sure if you still wanted to talk to me," Jun answered, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. "At least I wouldn't be surprised if you wouldn't…not after I was so…forward."

"Nah, it's all good," Tori said offhandedly. "We were just joking before, right? Trolling each other, so to speak."

"Um, yeah, sure," Jun agreed. She didn't feel her response was all that convincing, but Tori seemed to take it at face value. The bassist breathed a sigh of relief as the implication of this sunk in.

_I wasn't really joking. She's absolutely beautiful, and I'm totally attracted to her. The thing is that she knows it, but she doesn't seem uncomfortable with it. In fact, she's giving me an out…telling me we can at least still be friends, and that she's not going to hold how I acted earlier against me. Thank God for that._

"Good, that's settled," Tori decided. "You know, it was a total blast playing with you today. I don't think I've ever been in a band with a bassist like you. You've got so much energy…all I had to do was feed off of it. You remind me of Flea, the way you bounce around and use the full range of your instrument. You've heard of him, right? The American bassist?"

_Good God, are you kidding me? Of course I've heard of him! Every serious rock bassist knows exactly who the guy is. She's comparing me to Flea? Geez, this girl says all the right things!_

"Wow, that's…pretty high praise," Jun said aloud, blushing even more deeply at Tori's compliment. "I don't think I'm that good, but yeah, he's an influence."

"It shows. Hey, you've been singing a lot of harmony today. Have one of these."

Tori reached into her backpack, took out a lozenge, and flipped it casually in Jun's direction. The brunette caught it with one hand. It tasted of honey and lemon – sweet and tart at the same time.

_Just like Tori-san herself. Totally appropriate._

For the first time in a long while, Jun was at a loss for words. She wanted to tell this woman how deeply impressed she was with her skills as a musician, and how glad she was to be playing in a band with her, but she couldn't figure out a way to say it without it coming across as an advance. All she could manage was a goofy smile of thanks. Fortunately, Azusa granted her an unexpected reprieve from the awkward situation.

"Okay, everyone," the lead guitarist called out, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "It's almost 17:00. We need to wrap this up."

She turned to Tori.

"How's the voice? You have one last song in you?"

Tori responded with a sunny smile.

"I can rock out one more time."

"Okay, then," Azusa decided. "Let's play one more number before we quit for the day. I think we should finish with a song we all feel really comfortable with. That way we can end practice in style. Any ideas?"

For Jun, there was only one option. They had played the song right before their mid-practice break, and the experience had solidified her decision to join Steelflower.

_Everything clicked on that number. And Tori was absolutely riveting. I so want to play that one again, just to hear her sing, and to sing along with her._

"_Rolling Star_," she blurted out. To her surprise, Nao said the exact same thing nearly simultaneously. Jun looked at the _meganekko_ in surprise, but Nao just smiled that tight little smile of hers.

"Are you sure, Nao?" Azusa asked doubtfully. "I mean, you sat that one out. Shouldn't we play an arrangement where you're actively involved?"

"I'm fine," the producer assured her. "There's no question it was the best performance of the day. You guys go for it, and I'll just mix it down from my console. If we wind up covering it, I'll work up some samples, and maybe throw in a little scratching."

"Okay, _Rolling Star_,"Azusa shrugged. "Works for me. Let's get our headsets back on and get started."

Jun had been at many a practice when she and her band members were dragging by the end. Rehearsing is hard work, and after three hours even the most enthusiastic musicians are tired. For some reason, however, the brunette felt no weariness, and in no time she was ready, headset in place and bass strap over her shoulder. The others seemed similarly energized. With everyone ready, Azusa turned to Tori again.

"You're the front. Lead us."

With a nod, Tori took charge. Jun noted admiringly that she was all business, as one would expect of a seasoned professional.

"Okay, we'll do the same arrangement as before. Watch the timing between the vocal bridge and the final chorus. Okuda-san, I need you to pull back on my levels during the guitar solo, or at least boost the lead line. I couldn't hear Azusa that well the last time through."

"I thought she was a little far back in the mix, too," the producer agreed. "I'll keep an eye on that."

"Okay, girls, let's do this like we're on stage," Tori urged. "Last number of the day. Leave it all here in the studio."

She signaled to Sumire, who counted off rapidly, and the four women roared into the 36-count intro. Jun fell into her usual bouncing and foot-stomping, but this time it didn't seem to her as though the band was merely practicing. The collective energy level was so high that it drove her to play with a joyous abandon she usually reserved for live performances.

With the intro done, Tori launched into the opening verse. Because there was no bass riff during the first 32 counts, Jun allowed herself a few moments to watch Tori sing.

_I just can't take it anymore  
__I've got to say what I want to say…_

Jun couldn't keep her eyes off the rhythm guitarist, mesmerized by her performance. Even so, she was careful not to get drawn too far in; she'd let that happen when they'd played the song earlier in rehearsal, and had almost missed her entrance. This time, she was ready, and with a sweeping glissando she joined the others.

When they came to the first chorus, she joined in on the vocal, singing low harmony. Unable to resist, she drifted over to Tori, and the two stood practically nose-to-nose, grinning as they belted out the lyrics together.

_A world like the one I dreamed of  
__Where life is peaceful and everyone gets along…_

The pattern repeated during the second verse and chorus, with Jun first watching Tori, then joining her. To Jun, it all seemed so effortless, and her fingers flew over the strings of her Ibanez as if they were on autopilot. The bassist was constantly moving – hair-flipping with Sumire, or drifting over to play face-to-face with Azusa – but she always seemed to find her way back to Tori. It was as if she was drawn by an irresistible force.

_We're in total sync. It's like I was born to play with her._

With the end of the second chorus, the song reached its climax. Tori's and Jun's voices wound around each other in the intricate harmony, culminating in a final unison phrase.

_Oh, yeah!  
__Keep stumbling forward – way to go!  
__Yeah, yeah…a mud-covered rolling star!_

It was the perfect set-up for Azusa's solo, and the lead guitarist responded with ten bars of shredding that went way beyond that in the original recording. As the searing improvised lead line screamed from Azusa's Mustang, Jun looked over at Tori, who flashed a quick smile.

_What a rush! I've never felt this way before. Five years of playing with Azusa and Ui, and it was never like this with them. God, I don't want this song to end!_

The band tore through the vocal bridge, followed by the final chorus, moving at the breakneck speed the arrangement called for. This time, as Jun and Tori sang the final line in unison, the guitarist nodded, as if to say, "Let's finish strong."

_Yeah, yeah…a mud-covered rolling star!_

Tori stood facing Sumire, rocking back and forth to the beat as she ripped through the final section's rhythm line. Jun joined her almost without thinking, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Azusa do the same. Soon the three women's heads were bobbing together as they slashed their way through the final nine bars.

Jun could see the ferocious determination on Sumire's face as the drummer pounded out the beat. The blonde was hitting her cymbals so hard that the wing-nut holding one of her smaller crashes in place came loose, and the bronze disc spun end-over-end through the air, landing at Azusa's feet. The four musicians didn't even break stride, finishing the song with a flourish.

When it was over, Jun had to bite back a whine of disappointment.

_Damn. That ending was like getting interrupted in the middle of really satisfying sex. I could have played that song all night._

As she pulled off her headset, she heard Tori's voice.

"Nice work, Pigtails-chan. I love how intense you are when you play. And that bass line…totally sick."

Jun turned to find Tori's deep brown eyes regarding her with evident approval. Just the sight of those eyes made her gulp, but she quickly recovered her wits with a snappy comeback.

"You were outstanding yourself. But what's with the nickname all of a sudden? And using it without asking, too. You Americans are really free with your manners, aren't you?"

"Not as free as you were earlier," Tori teased, flashing Jun a mischievous grin.

"Well, who could blame me with you leading me on like that?" Jun shot back, matching Tori's grin with one of her own.

"Leading you on?" the guitarist pretended to gasp.

Suddenly, the control room speaker crackled to life, and a familiar voice interrupted their to-and-fro.

"That was pretty good. Now try it one more time with some intensity."

Five heads whipped toward the control room window in unison. Through the tinted glass, Jun could see four familiar smiling faces: Yui, Ritsu, Mio, and Mugi. Ritsu, whose voice they had all heard, had the talkback mike in her hand.

_Whoa, they're back from Hong Kong early. Azusa wasn't expecting them for another couple hours._

There was a gasp from her left.

"Yui!"

Azusa tore off her headphones and practically threw her Mustang onto its stand. Before she could take a step, however, the studio door opened, and Yui barreled through it. In two steps, she was across the studio floor and into Azusa's waiting arms.

As the two women greeted each other joyously, the remaining members of HTT filed into the room. They were all smiling, but Jun thought they looked exhausted. The bags under Mio's eyes and the haggard gray cast to Ritsu's face were obvious indicators of a month on the road. Even Mugi seemed paler and more subdued than usual. The only one who looked none the worse for the wear was Yui, who was holding Azusa in a too-tight embrace and chatting as animatedly as ever.

As soon as Mugi entered the room, Sumire made a beeline for her, with Nao in hot pursuit. They were clearly delighted to see the elegant, blonde _ojō_ again, and the smiles that wreathed Mugi's fair face showed the feeling was mutual.

"Hey, Tori-san," Jun said to her one remaining companion. "You want to meet the girls from HTT?"

Tori's only response was a weird little "eep." Jun, surprised by the reaction, turned and saw the guitarist frozen in place, staring at the four newcomers with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Suddenly, Jun remembered what Azusa had told her.

_Oh, yeah…she's a total HTT fangirl! Look at her. She's so blown away she can't even speak. Totally adorable! _

"Don't worry – they're really nice," the bassist giggled. "They may be famous, but they're still just normal people like us. Put down your Gibson and I'll introduce you."

The two women laid aside their headsets and instruments. Yui and Azusa were off in a corner deep in discussion, so Jun led Tori over to where the others were congregated. At the brunette's prompting, the excited guitarist introduced herself, and was met with a chorus of welcome.

"So you're the one Azusa's been telling Yui about," Ritsu said, eyeing Tori with interest. "I've gotta say, you certainly live up to her hype. You were really cooking on that last song. The whole band was."

"I thought it was really exciting," Mugi agreed. "You're all so talented."

"It's been a long time since I've heard Jun-san play," Mio added. "Since college, I think. You're just as energetic as ever. I wish I could switch registers as easily as you do."

Jun beamed at the compliment from her friend and mentor. It felt especially good that Mio had said those words in front of Tori.

"You're too kind, Mio-san. So, you guys really liked that number?"

"Are you kidding?" Ritsu grinned. "That song's one of my favorites, so I'm pretty picky about it. You guys did a great job with it. And Sumire busting up her drum set…cymbals flying all over the place…damn! That was so cool!"

"Thanks," Sumire giggled. "I've added some pieces. Want to see?"

"Thought you'd never ask," was the response, and soon was Ritsu was inspecting Sumire's set and talking the finer points of drum heads with the tall blonde. At the same time, Mio excused herself and went to talk to Yui and Azusa. Meanwhile, Mugi and Nao were huddled together over the latter's laptop; Jun thought she heard them talking about production software.

"We need to see if we can get Yui-san away from Azusa long enough to introduce you," Jun said with a wry smile. "That's going to be a challenge. Kind of like peeling a live turtle."

As she watched Yui and Azusa fawn over each other, Tori chuckled at Jun's metaphor.

"It's hard to believe they're not girlfriends. I mean, just look at them. They sure act like it. They're not, though, and I just don't get that. It really seems to bother Azusa, too, but she won't talk about it."

"I don't get it either," Jun said, shaking her head. "It's really complicated. Personally, I've always thought they'd wind up together. I just try to stay out of it, though. It's better that way."

As she spoke, Jun noticed Yui was looking in their direction. After a moment, the auburn-haired guitarist excused herself from Azusa and Mio and headed toward them.

"Looks like you're going to get your chance to meet Yui-san," Jun whispered, nudging her companion. The speechless American could only respond with a nod.

Soon, Yui had joined them. She looked fresh, and not at all as if she'd just flown in from Hong Kong after a month-long rock tour.

"Hey, hey, Jun-chan!" she cried, snaking an arm around the bassist's shoulder and hugging her briefly. "Haven't seen you in, like, forever. How's life in the big city?"

"Can't complain," Jun grinned. "You look well. I would think you'd be exhausted."

"Nah," Yui replied with a dismissive wave. "I was kind of sleepy on the plane, but I'm feeling great now."

She turned to face Tori, and Jun immediately noticed something was off. It was the same old Yui smile, but something about the eyes changed. They were cold and unfriendly. The sight set off alarm bells in Jun's mind.

_Whoa. What the hell is this? The last time I saw that look in her eye was at Ui's wedding. This isn't good. Something's going on here that I don't know about._

"You must be Takeda-san," the auburn-haired woman observed, her voice seemingly as genial as ever. "I'm Hirasawa Yui. Azusa's told me all about you. I was watching you during _Rolling Star_. You're every bit as good as she says you are."

"That means a lot coming from Hirasawa-san," Tori replied gratefully. "I'm a big fan."

"So I'm told," Yui said, her smile never wavering. "Hey, that blue Gibson of yours is totally cute. I'd really like to check it out…you know, to see how you have it customized."

"I'd be honored," the still-awed Tori agreed.

Yui turned to Jun.

"Hey, Jun-chan, would you mind keeping Azusa company for me? I'd like a couple minutes alone with Takeda-san."

_Okay, I don't like this atmosphere. Something isn't right._

"But, she's with Mio…"

"Jun-chan, I really need you to give us a moment."

There was an uncharacteristically unpleasant note in Yui's voice that sent Jun immediately scurrying toward Mio and Azusa. However, it was only a strategic retreat. She decided to pretend to be interested in what Mio and Azusa were talking about, and keep her real focus on Yui and Tori.

In the acoustically-dead studio, she couldn't hear what the two women were saying, but the conversation appeared to start off uneventfully. Yui examined Tori's Gibson while the latter pointed to the pickups, probably talking about what type and brand they were. After a few moments, Yui turned her attention to the acoustic-electric Martin. She must have asked Tori if she could play it, because she picked it up off the stand and slipped the sling over her shoulder. After checking the tuning, she played a chord or two.

At that point, the tone of the conversation appeared to shift. Yui's eyes glittered coldly as she spoke. Tori appeared to be taken by surprise, and looked as though she was protesting what Yui had said to her. Finally, Tori said something that changed Yui's entire demeanor completely. She looked surprised, and then embarrassed. Jun saw her look back and forth between Tori and Azusa with uncertainty, as if she was trying to make a decision.

Finally, a smile swept across Yui's face again, and Jun saw her turn to Tori, speaking to her one more time. To Jun's surprise, the taller woman rummaged around in one of her guitar cases, and handed Yui what looked like a capo and a guitar pick. Yui strapped the capo to the Martin's frets, then turned toward Azusa and began to strum. It wasn't immediately clear at first what she was playing, but when she began to sing the lyrics, Jun recognized the song instantly.

_To you, whom I can't replace  
__To the unchanging wind  
__To the unending night  
__Always and forever  
__My hope lies in the coming morning…_

It was immediately obvious that Yui wasn't merely singing because she wanted to try out Tori's Martin. This wasn't some randomly-chosen tune, but a well-known love song, and a deeply emotional one at that. Clearly, Yui meant the performance for Azusa personally.

…_Always and forever  
__I offer you everything in this song…_

It was an apt lyric, Jun thought. This was Yui's way, to give herself completely through music. The words were those of a grown woman deeply in love, but the guitarist delivered them with the trembling, naked passion of a love-struck schoolgirl. It was as if she was bathing Azusa in pure emotion, and from the look on the diminutive guitarist's face, Yui's words were connecting deeply.

By now, it was quite obvious that this was a musical confession on Yui's part. She had moved so that she was face to face with Azusa, and the two women looked deeply into each other's eyes. Yui's voice filled the studio as she reached the climactic final lines.

_Forever and ever, let me keep my eyes on you  
__I'll be by your side, until the world ends  
__Forever and ever, I will love you_

The song ended in a single, delicately-strummed chord, which quickly died away in the heavily soundproofed studio. After gazing at Azusa for a moment or two, Yui shrugged the guitar strap from her shoulder, and turned to hand the Martin and the pick to a thoroughly bemused Tori. As she turned back toward Azusa once more, there was a smile on her face that radiated warmth throughout the entire room.

Jun expected Yui to say something about how she hoped Azusa liked the song. It made sense, because Yui had a track record of singing for her friends, usually with very little encouragement, simply because she wanted to please them. But neither Jun, nor anyone else in the room, was prepared for what came next.

Yui cleared her throat and a paused for a moment, as if searching for words. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft and gentle.

"A long time ago, I almost lost your friendship because I was too forward. I guess that's what made me afraid to say what I feel. But for months now, it's been getting harder and harder to hold back. This tour was really hard. As I kept telling you, I felt like I died a little inside every day we were apart. And then some things happened that I misinterpreted, and I started acting stupid. I guess it all finally combined to give me the push I needed. I was going to tell you all this later, but I can't wait any longer. I've wasted too much time, and I need to speak for myself, right here, right now. I don't care if everybody hears me."

Jun couldn't believe her ears.

_Sweet Amaterasu! Yui's finally going to confess after all this time! But why here? You don't do this kind of thing in front of a crowd. What the hell is she thinking?_

Yui paused, and took Azusa's trembling hands in hers.

"I want to be your Yui, the way you're my Azunyan. For me, there is no one else, and never will be. I meant every word of those lyrics: '_Zutto zutto, aishiteru kimi wo._ Forever and ever, I will love you.' Please, tell me you feel the same."

As Yui spoke, Azusa blushed more and more deeply, and at the final words, tears filled her eyes. Then, to everyone's utter shock, her face crumpled, and she stifled a sob. Tearing her hands from Yui's, she turned and bolted from the studio. Yui stood in stunned disbelief for a brief moment, then took off after her.

"Azusa! Azunyan! Come back!"

As the auburn-haired guitarist disappeared through the studio door, the room fell deathly quiet. Several moments later, Ritsu's voice broke through the stillness.

"Whoa. Did _not_ see that coming."

"I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen," Mugi quavered, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "The way Yui-chan sang that song was…just so beautiful…I would love for someone to sing to me that way."

"It _was_ beautiful," Mio agreed. "But this sort of thing should have been done in private. You don't use words like _'aishiteru'_ in front of an audience. Poor Azusa. She's probably mortified."

"But she's not going to say 'no,' is she?" an anxious Tori broke in. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I think it's my fault, though."

"What exactly did you say to her?" Jun demanded. "That whole atmosphere between you was really weird."

Tori hung her head. She was clearly upset by what had happened.

"I wasn't expecting it. It started out innocently enough, with her admiring my guitars. Then she got really serious, and started saying things about me and Azusa that really surprised me. She said she wanted me to know that she wasn't going to give up that easily…you know, that sort of thing. I guess she thought I was after Azusa or something. I don't know where she got that idea from. I have a boyfriend, for crying out loud."

"But you said something to her that changed things," Jun persisted. "I saw it."

"I said I could never come between girlfriends. She said she and Azusa weren't together, and I said, 'Why not? It's obvious how you feel about each other.' Then I asked her to explain it to me. She got really quiet, and the next thing I knew she was asking to borrow a capo and a pick."

"I guess the song was her answer," Mugi observed. "I don't think she planned it that way, though."

"I don't think so, either," Mio decided. "But we pretty much know what will happen between her and Azusa. Sure, Yui handled it the way she always does things – she pretty much acts on impulse, anyway – but even though Azusa was pretty embarrassed, but I don't think there's any way she'll refuse."

"No way," Mugi echoed. "She's probably already saying 'yes' as we speak, and it's long overdue. In some ways, we owe you a vote of thanks, Takeda-san. There's a chance Yui-chan might not have gone through with this on her own. She might have backed out, as she has before."

"Yep," Ritsu agreed with a yawn. "And now, I think it's time to end this little visit. There's nothing more we can do about Yui and Azusa, and I'm beat. What do you say, Mio? Let's go upstairs, take a bath, and hit the hay."

Mio nodded, and the two departed after saying their goodbyes.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to join them," Mugi said, stifling a yawn of her own. "Don't worry about all the equipment. You can leave it here until we get back from tour, and you can use the studio as much as you want until then. I'm going to head upstairs. Sumire, Nao, come up to my suite when you're done here and we'll have dinner."

With a bow and a murmured formality, Mugi was gone. The four remaining members of Steelflower packed up all the instruments, including Azusa's Mustang, and stacked them neatly to the side.

"I'll send an email out about the next practice, together with some scores for a couple of the songs I've written," Nao told the other three. "That is, if I can confirm it all with Azusa-san. Under the circumstances, that may take a couple days."

"Jun-san, Tori-san, give me about ten minutes and I'll arrange a ride to the station," Sumire offered. "I'll drive you myself, if I need to."

"Oh, that's okay," Tori demurred. "It's a nice evening out. I think I'd like to walk. What do you think, Jun-san?"

_Normally, I'm a lazy ass who would take the ride, but if it gives me more time with you, I'll walk all night._

"Let's do it," Jun said aloud.

"Okay, then," the blonde said reluctantly. "If you're sure. Go ahead and leave things as they are. I'll come down in a little while to lock up."

With a nod, Sumire and Nao excused themselves, and Jun was left alone with Tori. The brunette smiled at her companion.

"Thanks. I appreciate what you did, even though you didn't know you were doing it."

Tori looked mystified.

"Huh? What did I do?"

"Azusa's an important friend," the bassist replied simply. "She deserves to be happy. I'm not sure she was pleased with the way things happened, but at least Yui spoke up after all this time. I have a feeling them being together is going to change things around here in ways we can't imagine. And it's all thanks to you."

"Thanks to me?" Tori repeated, puzzled.

"Think about it," Jun told her. "A week after you cross paths with Azusa, she and I are playing in a band together again, and Yui finally confesses to her. Eight days ago, I didn't think either of those things was ever going to happen. You're changing things, Tori-san, and changing people, just by your presence in their lives."

The two women locked eyes.

"And what about you, Pigtails-chan? Have I changed you, too?"

"I'd be lying if I said no," Jun replied, grinning back at her. "For one thing, the lead singer of my new band is way hotter than the one in my old band. And a lot younger. And female. Now that I have eye candy to play alongside, rehearsal's going to be a lot more fun."

Tori shook her head, but was unable to keep from smiling.

"You're crazy, you know that? But still, I like your sense of humor, Pigtails-chan."

"Stop calling me that, or I'll give you a nickname that relates to your rather sizeable chest," Jun threatened. Tori's face froze, and suddenly Jun was afraid she'd overstepped her bounds again. After a moment, however, the guitarist began to chuckle.

"Such a pervert!"

"Guilty as charged," the relieved bassist admitted as she joined in the giggling. When the laughter subsided, the bassist looked at her cell phone to check the time.

"I guess I'd better get out of here," she decided. "It's getting late, and I need to get back to Tōkyō."

Tori nodded.

"Yeah. All this playing has made me really hungry, too. You know anyplace decent we could get something to eat around here?"

'_We'? She's asking me to go out to eat? This is unexpected…and totally awesome._

"There's a really good seafood place right next to Kitano Station," Jun replied. "That is, if you're sure you want to go to dinner with me."

Tori looked at her for a long moment.

"I never said we couldn't be friends, Jun-san. Besides, I like the idea of having you as a friend. I think Azusa was right – we're going to get along really well."

"I think so, too," Jun smiled.

* * *

**A/N:**

− Thanks to my creative partner Musician74 for her valuable assistance. This chapter was a tricky one to write, and her patience and persistence helped me see it through to the end. Thank you, Beta-chan, for everything.

− Chatmonchy's _Mayonaka Yū-enchi_ appeared on their 2007 album _Seimeiryoku_. For an excellent live rendition, see YT clip OpnncA1xFq8. (YT clip Pgme26zHNAk contains the studio version.) I modeled Jun's performing style on that of Chatmonchy bassist Fukuoka Akiko.

− YUI's _Rolling Star_ is better known as the fifth opening theme of the anime version of _Bleach_. YouTube clip ie3zfmyiGio is a fun MikuMikuDance simulation of HTT (minus Mugi) playing this song. My favorite live version is captured in YT clip F8pqq9p1RR4.

− The song Yui sings to Azusa is Luna Sea's _Breathe_. It was best known as one of the ending themes for the Japanese release of the Disney film _Mulan_. YouTube clip guim71Z6KrQ is the official music video, while clip x6AnPDKWWPs is an excellent live version.

− Unfortunately, I've been unable to find the official music video of Orange Range's _Un Rock Star _online. My last known good link is now broken. If someone finds it, please PM me and I will edit this space to include the link. **EDIT, 7/22/2012:** Anonymous Gun Nut to the rescue! Remove the spaces: www .dailymotion video /x43iiz_orange-range-un-rock-star-2006-08-3_music

− There are a number of different ways to say "I love you" in Japanese. Since Japanese people are notoriously indirect about their true feelings, the most common way to express affection to a significant other is to use the phrase _daisuki desu_ ("I really like you a lot"). Yui quotes lyrics that use a variant of the much stronger and more direct _watashi wa kimi wo aishiteru_ ("I love you"). This is such an intense phrase in spoken Japanese that it is only rarely used, even between family members, and even then usually only in private. Yui's use of it is as powerful a statement of her feelings as she could possibly make.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	4. Chapter 4: Aishiteru

**A/N:**

_**WARNING! This chapter contains M-rated content! **_There is a strong lesbian theme throughout, and there are explicit depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative. Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Aishiteru**

_3/20/2016, 5:06 pm  
__The Carriage House, Kotobuki Family Estate, Naganumamachi 598, Hachiōji_

"…please, tell me you feel the same."

It was what Azusa had been longing to hear. For months, she'd played the scene over and over in her mind, imagining what Yui would say, and carefully planning her response. Now, the day had finally arrived, and as Yui boldly declared her love, Azusa was so overcome with happiness that, for the briefest of moments, she thought she might melt away completely.

However, the never-predictable brunette had caught her by surprise by confessing in front of their friends, and the surge of joy that had swept through her was quickly neutralized by excruciating embarrassment. With all those eyes on her during what should have been the most private of moments, she felt even more mortified than she had during that college concert where Yui had hugged her on stage. It was too much for the reserved Azusa, and suddenly she wanted to be somewhere, anywhere, other than the basement studio. Without thinking, she turned and ran.

"Azusa! Azunyan! Come back!"

Ignoring Yui's words, Azusa took off through the studio door. She didn't think about where she was going. All she could do was to keep moving, stumbling up the stairs as fast as she could, barely able to see the steps through her tears. Climbing frantically until she found herself at the top floor, Azusa kept at it, tearing down the long hallway until she slid to a halt in front of the empty wall at the end. This part of the house looked familiar, but she was so distracted she wasn't quite able to place it. Unwilling to go back the way she came, she sank to her knees and huddled against the wall at the end of the hallway, trying desperately to collect her wits.

She felt like a complete idiot for running out on Yui like that, especially since she hadn't given the brunette an answer. What was Yui supposed to think? Certainly she'd be confused, and very probably hurt. She might even think she'd been rejected. If that was the case, Azusa didn't even want to consider what Yui might do, not after what had happened in Hong Kong. Part of her wanted to make things right by immediately running back downstairs to find Yui and throwing herself into the brunette's arms. And yet she held back, afraid to face Yui after making what she suspected was, in hindsight, one of the biggest mistakes she'd ever made in their eight years of shared history. Frozen by indecision, she remained right where she was for what felt like hours, on her knees at the end of the deserted hallway.

It was so deathly quiet she could almost hear her heart beating. Suddenly, the silence was broken by someone bursting through the stairway door she had run through earlier. There was an exclamation of relief, followed by the sound of rapid footfalls echoing off the walls as the person hurried down the hallway toward where she was kneeling.

As the newcomer came to a stop next to her, panting from the exertion of running, Azusa knew without even looking that it was Yui. Too ashamed to look her in the eye, Azusa remained kneeling in front of the door, head hung, waiting for the brunette to say something.

Still short of breath, Yui spoke in bursts. She seemed hesitant, as if she was afraid of how Azusa might react.

"A-…Azunyan? Oh, Azunyan…I finally found you…you got away from me…on the stairs…and it took me a while…to track you down…but I'm here now."

She paused for several moments, seemingly waiting for Azusa's response. When there was none forthcoming, she continued, and although she had managed to control her breathing, her voice trembled with barely-contained despair.

"Hey, it's okay if you don't feel the same way as me, as long as we can still stay best friends. We can, right? Please, tell me that's okay…I'm begging you. Don't push me away…don't give up on your Yui…I couldn't bear it…"

As Yui's words trailed off into a muffled sob, Azusa sprang to her feet and whirled to face the woman standing beside her. To her dismay, the brunette's chocolate-brown eyes overflowed with tears, and her bottom lip quivered as she fought to keep from sobbing openly. She was the very picture of heartbreak. A crushing sense of guilt descended on the younger woman as she realized it was all her fault. One moment of panic had led Yui to believe she'd been rejected. In the recesses of her mind, the distraught Azusa kicked herself repeatedly for hurting this woman she supposedly loved so deeply.

"Oh my God, what have I done?" she gasped. "I'm so sorry! It's not what you think! It's just that…I got so embarrassed in front of everyone. But your song was perfect, and what you told me afterward…it was…so beautiful…oh, Yui, I'm such an idiot…if I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't run…can you ever forgive me?"

The brunette sniffled, wiping unsuccessfully at her eyes with her bare fingers. When she spoke, the pain in her voice cut through Azusa like a knife.

"When you ran, I wanted to die. I thought, 'Azunyan doesn't return my feelings after all.' Then I thought you wouldn't even want to be my friend anymore. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost Azunyan. She's my fated person. My reason for being."

"Yui, you're not going to lose me," Azusa countered, her voice breaking. "I could never push you away…I…love you…more than anything or anyone…"

With that, her face crumpled, and her tears began to flow again. Without a word, Yui wrapped her arms around the tiny woman and pulled her close. Azusa didn't fight her; she couldn't if she tried. She merely clutched at the front of Yui's shirt and buried her head in the brunette's shoulder, dimly aware of Yui's own tears trickling down onto her neck. In the comfort of the warm, familiar embrace, the final emotional barrier within her broke, and all the frustration and longing of the past year came bursting out of her. In between the sobs that wracked her body, all she could do, over and over, was to profess her love for Yui.

"…_aishiteru wa…aishiteru wa…"_

Yui simply held her, nuzzling her cheek against the side of Azusa's head and whispering quiet reassurance.

"It's okay, Azunyan…_ koneko-chan_, I forgive you…please, don't cry…"

As had so often happened over the course of their friendship, the mere act of Yui holding Azusa was all the reassurance the younger woman needed. Her tears soon passed, and the violent storm of emotion within her died away. The two remained in each other's arms for several minutes, in the middle of the empty hallway, until the quiet murmur of Yui's voice cut into the stillness.

"I'm…sorry, Azunyan. I guess now that I've finally worked through the issues that were holding me back, I just couldn't wait to tell you how I feel. But I did it all wrong. I should have waited until we were alone. When I said those things, I never meant to embarrass you. I wanted you to be happier than you've ever been. Look, there's no one around to hear, so let me make it right. Let me say the words again, just for you this time."

When Azusa nodded her agreement, Yui pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.

"I want to be the only one who protects Azunyan. As the song goes, 'Forever and ever, I will love you.' I promise."

This was the defining moment Azusa had longed for. Yui's words seemed even sweeter the second time around. With no distractions and no onlookers, they hit their intended target deep within her soul. There was no hesitation or uncertainty in her response.

"I love you, too, Yui. I'll never give up on you, and I won't run away anymore. Please…care for me well."

At this, Yui leaned downward, her lips searching for Azusa's. It wasn't a deep kiss – a mere gentle touch – but the obsidian-haired woman nevertheless felt Yui's love flood through her, the physical contact conveying a message that far transcended words. She was overwhelmed with a sense of peace, as though she had finally found her place in the universe. All the negative emotions vanished, replaced by a single thought: she belonged to Yui, and Yui belonged to her. In the face of this truth, nothing else mattered.

When their lips pulled apart, Azusa opened her eyes to Yui's usual winning smile. Under normal circumstances, the sight was like a bath in warm sunlight, but now, there was an even greater meaning to it, a glow not usually present in the smile Yui gave to others. Azusa sensed it was meant only for her, Yui's special person. It was then that reality sank in: after eight years of friendship that had grown to love, they were finally together.

Much to Azusa's reluctance, Yui released her from their embrace and began digging around in the pockets of her jeans. After a brief search, she produced a tissue, and dabbed lightly at the smaller woman's eyes to dry the tears, then wiped away what was left of her own.

"You know, you just happened to wind up in front of the entrance to my suite," she chuckled, motioning to the door on their left. "How about that? When my poor _koneko-chan_ got scared, she ran straight home."

With a start, Azusa realized she was right.

"I knew this part of the house looked familiar," she admitted. "But I don't come here all that often, and every hallway looks the same to me. And I was a bit…preoccupied."

The irony was not lost on her that despite her initial impulse to run from Yui, she ultimately wound up running _to_ her. Somehow, the image of herself as a lost kitten finding its way home by instinct seemed fitting.

"None of that matters now," Yui reassured her. "I found you, and we've said what needed to be said. That's what's really important."

With a grin, she took Azusa's hands in hers, palm to palm, taking care to interlock their fingers.

"You hungry?" she asked. "I hope so. I ordered dinner for 17:30, and it's almost that time now. I asked them to send up _takoyaki_ and a few other things you like."

Yui was back to her usual enthusiastic self, and that lifted Azusa's spirits. Suddenly, the idea of a shared meal, with just the two of them together, seemed heavenly.

"That sounds really nice," she sighed. "I've been looking forward to it since yesterday."

With a flourish, Yui pushed open the door to her suite.

"Then come on in," she invited, taking Azusa's hand and leading her inside. "No sense hanging around out here in the hallway. It's been a tough day for both of us. Why don't we relax a bit before we eat? You can tell me more about the new band while we're waiting."

* * *

_3/20/2016, 5:33 pm  
__Yui's Suite, The Carriage House_

As the servant arranged the plates of food on the small dining table, a symphony of aromas filled Yui's sitting room. Azusa, sniffing at the air appreciatively, felt a sudden rumble in her stomach. It was a forceful reminder that she'd had nothing to eat since that morning.

To her delight, she saw that Yui had requested all of her favorites. Not only was there the promised _takoyaki_, there was also yellowtail tuna sashimi, a rare treat for a young schoolteacher without a lot of money to spare. Along with the fish came the usual complements of fluffy white rice, _tsukemono_, and the chef's signature miso soup with tofu and shiitake mushrooms that Azusa had so enjoyed on a previous visit. To top it all off, there were two slices of cake, white with strawberries for Yui and banana for Azusa.

The various courses were laid out in an eye-popping visual presentation, a riot of textures and colors that could only have come from the hand of a professional high-end chef like the one who served the Kotobuki family. It was not so much a meal as a work of art, and the two women took a moment just to appreciate its visual impact.

"Oh, everything looks so cute!" Yui exclaimed after the servant had excused himself. "And yummy, too. It's going to be a shame to have to eat such gorgeous food, but I'm starving. Come on, let's get started!"

At Yui's direction, their table settings had been laid out next to each other. The better to feed each other, the brunette had explained. As they took their seats and said the appropriate words of thanks, Azusa couldn't help but gaze longingly at the plate of sashimi. It had been so long since she'd had yellowtail, and her mouth watered in anticipation. Yui, seeing the look in her eye, flashed a smile, and immediately picked up her chopsticks.

"Azunyan gets the first piece," she announced. "Here, let me feed it to you."

With practiced ease, the brunette used her chopsticks to paint some wasabi on a piece of yellowtail. After a dipping the bottom of the chunk of fish briefly in the soy sauce, she held it to Azusa's lips.

"Say, 'Ah.'"

"Ah."

The sauces' combination of fire and salt offset the yellowtail's delicate flavor perfectly, and Azusa couldn't hold back a groan of delight as the fish practically melted in her mouth. It was beyond delicious, and the fact that Yui had fed it to her made it perfect.

"I guess Azunyan likes it," Yui giggled. "Oh, look. I got some soy sauce on your cheek. Let me fix that."

Azusa, thinking Yui was going to dab at the offending droplets with her napkin, was caught completely by surprise when the brunette leaned over and gently licked them off. She flinched, then blushed a bright scarlet. Yui merely smiled serenely.

"I didn't mean to startle you. But why are you surprised? After all, this is the kind of thing lovers do, right?"

Yui's use of the word "lovers" took Azusa's mind off the food and brought it back to the larger context. She was alone with Yui, and they were now in a formal relationship. The brunette was within her rights to do something so intimate. As she considered the possible implications of the word "intimate," her thoughts began to race, and she blushed even more deeply.

"N-no, it's o-okay," she stuttered, trying to suppress the fluttering feeling at the pit of her stomach. "I j-just need to get u-used to it, that's all."

Yui just kept on smiling.

"Okay, now you feed me," she prompted, and Azusa, glad for the distraction, responded by reaching for a _takoyaki_ ball. At Yui's insistence, she dipped it liberally in hot mustard. Leaning against the brunette's shoulder, she held the morsel so Yui could take a bite, and tried not to laugh at the all-too-predictable result.

"G-good stuff," Yui wheezed, flashing a thumbs-up and grinning despite her mustard-induced tears.

They ate the rest of the meal in this intimate fashion, sitting as close to each other as they could, and taking turns feeding each other small bits of fish and _takoyaki_. Azusa, who had never really cared for being fed in the past, now discovered just how romantic it could be. When one's lover is doing the feeding, she found, even seemingly insignificant touches take on a whole new meaning.

After the initial shock of having the soy sauce licked from her cheek, Azusa quickly adjusted, and began to enjoy the little caresses she was getting from the brunette, and to return them actively. Before too long, the constant body contact between the two women began to have its effect on the younger woman. To touch Yui, and be touched in return, was exhilarating, and as the amount of affection they were showing each other began to increase, the anticipation began to build within Azusa over what the evening might hold in store.

Despite this, she still felt nervous, because she didn't really know what to expect once dinner was over. Azusa had long wanted Yui to do what lovers did: hold her, kiss her, and more. Now that this all seemed likely to happen, however, she felt a sudden apprehension. At age 23, she'd never so much as looked at anyone except Yui, and that lack of experience made her feel naive and inadequate. The kiss in the hallway had been her first, not counting the various attempts Yui had made in their early years. What if Yui kissed her again – not just a brush with her lips but a real, deep, adult kiss – and thought she was no good at it? Azusa thought about being naked in front of her new girlfriend – would Yui think her body wasn't attractive? Would she think Azusa's breasts were too small? And what if Yui wanted to make love to her? The thought of Yui's hands on her made her tremble, but at the same time she worried that her inexperience would hold them both back. And of course, as a virgin, she was worried about the first time being painful. As these thoughts crowded in on her, she wondered if she had the nerve to go through with it.

Realizing that her usual tendency to overanalyze things had kicked in, and that she was thinking too much, she steeled her resolve. She wasn't going to give in to her insecurities anymore when it came to Yui. It helped that her reservations were rapidly being overcome by the almost crushing sense of need welling up inside her. No, she thought, however the rest of the night was going to unfold, she needed to let things happen without thinking them to death beforehand. There would be no more running, and no more holding back.

Once Yui had eaten the final strawberry from her cake, she pushed the plate away and patted her stomach.

"_Gochisōsama," _she sighed, putting real feeling into the normally perfunctory meal-ending phrase."That was an awesome meal. Did you like it?"

Azusa, still working on her final bite of banana cake, nodded.

"Good," the brunette said. "I had a feeling this was going to be our first meal together as girlfriends, and I wanted it to be special. And now that we're done eating, it's time to, uh…relax."

Something about the way Yui said the word "relax" gave Azusa pause, but she really didn't have a chance to respond. Almost as soon as she swallowed her last mouthful, Yui grabbed her hand and began pulling her toward the nearby sofa.

"Sit here," the brunette directed, patting a cushion at one end. The younger woman complied, wondering what Yui had in mind. She didn't have long to wait to find out; Yui promptly lay down lengthwise on the sofa and settled her head into Azusa's lap.

"Now _this_ is comfort," she declared, smirking up at her surprised girlfriend. "The only way this could be any better is if you were feeding me another piece of cake or something. You don't mind us being like this, do you?"

With Yui in such an intimate position, Azusa felt the room suddenly become uncomfortably warm. Aside from smoothing a stray auburn hair from Yui's face, she was unable to do much else but gaze down into the brunette's eyes. The adoration in those reservoirs of chocolate brown nearly drove the words from her mind, but after several moments of awkward silence, she managed to answer the question.

"I…really like it. And you shouldn't have to ask anymore. I know I didn't like to be touched or hugged or anything like that in the past, and I always made sure you kept your distance. But tonight…well, we're together now, so it's okay for you to, um, touch me and hold me as much you want. I won't push you away anymore, I promise."

A speculative look spread across Yui's face as she considered this statement. At the sight, Azusa began to have second thoughts, envisioning Yui tackling her with a too-enthusiastic hug. However, the brunette once again proved unpredictable.

"How about this?" she offered, smiling up at Azusa. "There's something I really wanted to do with you at Ui's wedding, but I didn't dare ask, because I was pretty sure you'd refuse. Now, tonight, it feels totally right, and I really want us to do it."

With a sudden movement, Yui sat up, and then jumped to her feet. Turning to Azusa, she smiled, and then extended her hand.

"Dance with me. A slow dance."

Azusa's eyebrows flew upward.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious," Yui pouted. "How can I not be at a time like this? Besides, you said I could hold you whenever I wanted now, right? Well, slow dancing is basically holding each other set to music, isn't it?"

It was totally random, but also totally Yui. Azusa wasn't about to refuse her. If this is what it took to get back into the brunette's arms, where she felt so right, so be it. After a moment, she nodded her agreement, and took the outstretched hand. Yui pulled her to her feet, then clapped her hands in delight.

"Awesome! I have just the right song in mind. The words are perfect, and the music will really set the right mood."

She fished her phone out of a pocket, tapped at the screen, then placed the device in the dock on the nearby end table. As the song began to play, Azusa recognized it at once: _Aishiteru, _a popular love song. The lyrics had a wistful beauty that had always strongly appealed to her. There were very few choices Yui could have made that would have been more appropriate for the moment.

Yui wrapped Azusa in her arms and began to sway back and forth to the song's gentle rhythm. Almost without thinking, Azusa melted into the embrace, molding herself to the brunette. Yui felt so soft and warm, and she smelled so nice, like a combination of the cherry blossoms in her shampoo, the strawberries on the cake she'd just had for dessert, and a half-dozen other things that evoked her in Azusa's mind. Yui's scent, and the feel of their bodies together, sent her heartbeat into overdrive.

As the song headed into the final chorus, Yui began to sing along with the recorded vocal, just loud enough for Azusa to hear her. The glorious lyrics were yet another expression of the feelings behind her confession, and they resonated deeply within the younger woman.

…_I love you, I love you  
__Until the end of the world…_

These heartbreakingly beautiful words, sung just for her by the woman she so desperately loved, nearly overwhelmed Azusa. For a brief moment, she wished that she could stay just as she was, right there in Yui's arms, for the rest of her life.

The song finally ended, much to Azusa's deep disappointment. Before she could give voice to her frustration, however, Yui's lips found hers, and any thought of protest fled.

The kiss was deep, far deeper than the brief, almost chaste kiss in the hallway. A surge of white-hot desire flashed through Azusa as Yui's lips gently stroked hers. After a moment, she felt the brunette's tongue searching, and she reflexively allowed her own to meet it. When they finally touched, her knees suddenly weakened, and she clung to Yui as if for dear life.

The avalanche of sensations threatened to bury Azusa as the kiss seemingly went on and on. Yui was doing such wonderful things to her that her rational mind couldn't function. All she could do was give herself over to pure feeling. Lips on hers, a tongue slow-dancing with her own, fingers fluttering up and down her spine, hands pausing only to gently stroke her buttocks…all these combined to ignite a raging fire deep inside Azusa, a blaze that threatened to sweep out of control and consume her entirely.

After what seemed like an eternity, the kiss ended, leaving her with sense of loss that made her feel like crying. She leaned against Yui, struggling for breath, her pulse roaring in her ears. After a few moments, she realized her lover was trembling just as much as she was. She could feel a heart pounding, but wasn't able to concentrate enough to tell whether it was hers or that of the woman holding her.

"My Azunyan's…lips taste…so sweet," Yui gasped. "Like bananas…and milk tea with sugar."

Azusa smiled at the metaphor. It was so like Yui to describe anything that gave her pleasure in culinary terms. Unfortunately, she was unable to think clearly enough to return the compliment. Only a single word came to mind.

"More."

Yui needed no further encouragement, and she immediately pressed her lips to Azusa's again. This time, the kiss was demanding, and Azusa returned it hungrily, grinding her body against Yui's as the need within her began to intensify. In short order, the two women were back on the sofa, lying on their sides, their bodies pressed tightly together. Azusa eagerly matched Yui caress for caress as the ache within her built to a nearly unbearable level. Finally, the thoughts swirling in her brain converged to one single realization: she wanted Yui to make love to her, right then, more than anything. Whatever misgivings she might have had were long gone, replaced only by desire.

With supreme effort, she pulled her lips from Yui's. The brunette looked shocked, and appeared to be about to say something, but Azusa laid a finger on her lips to silence her. She got to her feet, tugging at Yui's hand to signal her to follow, and, without a further word, led her bemused girlfriend from the sitting room.

As the two stood in the stillness of the darkened bedroom, the sexual tension settled over them like a thick mantle. Azusa was transfixed, unable to tear her gaze from Yui's face. The brunette, having finally grasped her lover's intent, didn't speak. However, her eyes, glistening in the dim light of the nearby table lamp, sent a clear, unmistakable message.

_I love you. Please, let me show it. Let me touch you._

By way of answer, Azusa took Yui's hand and placed it on her breast, barely suppressing a hiss of pleasure as Yui's fingers made contact. It was as clear an answer as she could give.

_Touch me, Yui. Make love to me._

With her free hand, Yui tenderly smoothed a stray lock of hair out of Azusa's eyes, then pulled her into yet another embrace. However, her lips didn't linger on the younger woman's. Slowly, gently, they began to trace along her jawline, and when they finally reached her earlobe, a gentle nibble made Azusa's breath hitch. As she fought to keep her knees from buckling at the wonderful sensations rocketing through her, Yui whispered almost inaudibly into her ear.

"Don't worry, _koneko-chan_. I'll go slowly, and I'll be gentle."

With that, Yui's lips continued their journey down the side of Azusa's neck, slowly kissing their way to the collar of her t-shirt. The sensation of hot breath on her skin was almost too good, and it made her desperately want those lips to keep moving downward. Without warning, however, Yui abruptly pulled away, forcing a groan of impatience from her shaking partner.

"Your clothes are in the way," the brunette observed, smiling mischievously. "And so are mine. We'll have to fix that."

Grasping the hem of Azusa's t-shirt, Yui pulled upward, and once the garment was off, Azusa responded by unbuttoning the front of Yui's blouse. The pile of clothing on the floor grew until the two women finally stood naked in front of each other, flushed with arousal. Azusa had seen Yui unclothed many times in the communal bath, but it was her first time looking at her as a lover, and the sight sent her heart into her mouth. As her eyes lingered on the curve of Yui's breasts and the flat expanse of her toned stomach, she wondered what they would feel like under her fingers. Suddenly, Yui's voice startled her out of her reverie.

"My Azunyan is so beautiful."

Yui stared back with equal appreciation. As her eyes swept across Azusa's body, the tiny woman felt one last surge of self-consciousness, and she instinctively covered her exposed breasts and groin, shielding them from Yui's sight. The brunette was having none of it, however. She gently pulled Azusa's arms away from her chest.

"Don't hide from your Yui, _koneko-chan_," she pleaded.

"But…but…it feels..w-weird when you…l-look at me like th-that," Azusa stammered, her face flushing an even deeper crimson.

Yui merely giggled.

"Azunynan is so cute when she blushes. Hey, there's no need to be ashamed of anything. We're allowed to look at each other like this. It's our special privilege as lovers, right? Here, you can look at Yui all you want."

The brunette did a slow pirouette so that Azusa could get a complete view of her naked form. In spite of her sudden attack of modesty, the younger woman couldn't tear her eyes away.

"See? All this belongs to Azunyan now. And Azunuyan's body belongs to Yui."

Without waiting for a response, Yui grabbed Azusa's hands and led her to the bed. Almost before she realized what was happening, the younger woman was on her back with Yui kneeling next to her. The brunette didn't stay idle for long, however.

With a light trace of her lips over Azusa's stomach, Yui began an agonizingly slow exploration of seemingly every square centimeter of her lover's exposed skin. Azusa gasped and squirmed as the brunette searched for and found every sensitive spot she could. Yui seemed instinctively to know just where to touch her and how, and with each succeeding discovery, Azusa's need grew more and more intense. By the time Yui's mouth reached her breasts, she was groaning and shuddering at practically every touch.

Yui gave the small mounds careful attention, now kissing and nibbling, now squeezing and palming, now gently flicking the nipples with her tongue or fingers. Azusa filled the room with her moans as she writhed and arched under Yui's relentless ministrations. Desperate for release, and unwilling to wait any longer, she grabbed one of Yui's hands, trying to force it downward, but the brunette pulled it away with a chuckle.

"Patience, _koneko-chan_."

With that, Yui knelt between Azusa's legs, pushing her lover's knees up and apart as she did so. She began to plant light kisses along Azusa's inner thighs, alternating from one side to the other, moving with maddening slowness toward her ultimate target. Azusa was convinced she would die from the anticipation. With a whine of protest, she again tried to force the pace by pushing her hips upward toward Yui's face, but it was to no avail. Yui refused to move any faster, and it made the tiny woman practically weep with frustration.

"Yui…please…don't tease me anymore…"

Finally, just as Azusa was about to give up hope, Yui's mouth reached her core. At the moment of contact, she cried out, and her mind went blank. The brunette's lips called a devastating cadence as they marched back and forth repeatedly across Azusa's nexus of pleasure, and the younger woman clutched at the bed sheets, rolling her hips in response to every flick of the brunette's tongue. Rapidly approaching her limit, she sobbed for breath as the waves of pleasure crashed through her.

The climax, when it finally came, was far more intense than any self-induced peak Azusa had ever experienced. Her vision tunneled as the spasms ripped through her, and with a wail, she arched her back until her entire body was bridged off of the mattress, supported only by her feet and shoulders. Yui's mouth remained locked on Azusa's pleasure center the entire time, serving to prolong the ecstasy for what seemed like hours until, unable to take any more, the exhausted guitarist finally pulled Yui off of her. With a grunt, she collapsed to the bed, spent for the moment, her chest heaving and her eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling.

She wasn't really sure how long she lay that way after the shattering orgasm robbed her of her sense of time and space. When she finally regained awareness, she found herself once more in the warmth of Yui's arms. Her lover held her close, stroking her hair and nuzzling her cheek, and whispering words that melted Azusa's heart all over again.

"I love you, Azunyan. You're Yui's precious _koneko-chan_, and she'll always protect you."

Rolling onto her side, Azusa tenderly brushed the auburn bangs out of Yui's face so she could look into those shining, chocolate-brown eyes once more. She saw love in them, pure and unconditional, that mirrored the deep feelings surging through her. Wanting to express those emotions, she lightly caressed Yui's lips with her own. The kiss didn't seem sufficient, however, and she decided she needed to say something meaningful to go with it. Unfortunately, her recent climax had left her struggling to frame coherent thoughts. In the end, the words she managed to come up with seemed inadequate, even trite.

"Yui, I love you, too. That was…so beautiful."

True to her nature, Yui didn't seem to care whether or not the statement was profound. She simply smiled that sunny smile of hers.

"My Azunyan is so pretty, I couldn't help myself. I just wanted to keep on touching you and tasting you. I couldn't stop."

Azusa let out a deep sigh of satisfaction.

"I'm so glad one of us has experience. You know this is my first time, of course. I was really afraid I wouldn't be good enough, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about."

Yui propped herself up on one arm, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Want to know a secret? This is my first time, too. And those kisses before? First time as well."

Azusa gaped at her, dumbfounded.

"But…but…at JWU, you went on all those _gōkon_. And all those individual dates, too, with both men and women. Sometimes you were out all night. And besides, what rock star doesn't party? I mean, we've never really talked about any of this, and I didn't really want to know the details anyway, but even so, I just naturally assumed…"

"Oh, Azunyan, I thought you knew me better than that," Yui interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I've never been in love with anyone besides you. I didn't really care to be. I just went to those _gōkon_ so Akira-chan wouldn't have to go by herself. No one else would go with her, remember? Those 'dates' weren't really dates at all. Those people were all just friends. I never even held hands with any of them. And you know all about how I am on tour – I go straight back to my hotel room after every show to have dinner. No, I've been saving myself for someone special. And when I look back on it, I guess my kisses and touches were meant for you all along."

"Then how…I mean, you're just…so…_good_," Azusa stammered, still unable to believe Yui's contention that this was her first time in bed with a lover. "Those kisses…the way you touched me…I thought I was going to melt, everything was so wonderful."

"I had a feeling this would happen tonight, so I went to Mugi-chan for advice," Yui explained, smirking as she traced a finger over Azusa's cheek. "She, um, knows a lot about this sort of thing, you know, so I figured she would be able to tell me what I needed to do to please you."

"And what did she say?"

"Not a lot," Yui admitted. "She just got all starry-eyed and told me, 'Touch her the way you'd like to be touched.' But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Fortunately, I have a good imagination, so I just thought about how I would want Azunyan to touch me, and that's what I did."

"Kind of like the way you learned to play guitar," Azusa grinned. "You just sort of went for it and hoped for the best, right?"

Yui simply shrugged and smiled back at her.

"Yeah. I guess it worked, huh?"

"It worked spectacularly well," Azusa agreed. "Remember what you said before about making me happier than I've ever been? You succeeded, because I've never been as happy as I am right now."

"I guess we have Takeda-san to thank for that," the brunette mused, looking suddenly thoughtful.

Azusa frowned at the seeming non-sequitur.

"What's Tori got to do with you and me?"

"Think about it. Before she came onto the scene, you and I were kind of stuck between being best friends and being girlfriends. Then, within a week of you guys meeting up again, she shook things up between us completely. Yeah, it was because I got jealous for no reason and wound up acting really dumb, but the point is if it wasn't for her, we'd still be waiting around for something to happen. That's why I said we should find some way to thank her."

"You're probably right," Azusa conceded. "But it doesn't really matter to me who gets the credit. All I care about is that we're together."

With that, she wrapped her arms around Yui and pulled her into yet another kiss. As their tongues met, Azusa felt a surge of desire. She wanted to make love to Yui, and to return in full measure the pleasure her lover had lavished on her earlier. With a swift movement, she rolled Yui onto her back, straddled her waist, and pinned her wrists to the mattress. The brunette, caught off guard, nevertheless squealed with delight.

"Woah! Azunyan's so forceful! I'm going to have to start calling you _kotora-chan_."

"So now I'm a tiger cub instead of a kitten, huh?" the younger woman smiled as her lips descended toward Yui's. "Fine. I can be a tiger cub for tonight. But don't worry. This tiger cub promises to be gentle."

* * *

_3/20/2016, 10:56 pm  
__Yui's Suite, The Carriage House_

As Azusa slowly came to consciousness out of a quickly-forgotten dream, her eyes struggled to focus in the dimly-lit room. For a moment, she wasn't sure where she was, but her disorientation soon passed, and she realized she was lying in Yui's bed.

Instinctively, she reached out to wrap an arm around the brunette. Disappointed when her hand found only empty space, she rolled over and sat up.

Yui was lounging in the nearby easy chair, hunched over her tablet computer. Her face was a study in concentration. Every so often, she would stop to hum a few quiet bars of melody to herself, but then she would go back to tapping at the screen, the touch of her fingertips barely audible in the quiet of the late evening. She was totally focused on what she was doing, and therefore appeared not to notice that Azusa had awakened.

A smile crept across Azusa's lips as she recalled their coupling of earlier in the evening. They had made love without a break for nearly two hours, and the memories of them together flashed through her mind in rapid succession: the way Yui tasted, and the sounds she made when Azusa touched her; the way she arched her back when she reached her peak, and how tightly she clenched around Azusa's fingers; how glorious it felt the first time Yui entered her; and how effortlessly Yui drove her to climax after explosive climax, until she had finally collapsed from exhaustion. Their lovemaking had been deeply satisfying on a level she'd never felt possible, and through it she felt more tightly bonded than ever to this woman who was the center of her universe.

Having had enough of watching Yui work, she stretched and let out an exaggerated yawn in an attempt to get her lover's attention. It didn't work, so she moved to her next alternative.

"Yui."

At the sound of her name, the brunette's head snapped upward. When she saw Azusa was awake, her face filled with delight.

"Azunyan!" came her cheery greeting.

"You left." Azusa's response was more a question than a statement.

"I didn't want to bother you," Yui replied, staring appreciatively at her girlfriend's naked upper body. Azusa pretended to ignore the brunette's gaze, opting instead to rub her eyes again.

"Wow, I must have been out cold. What time is it?"

"Almost 23:00," Yui informed her.

"What?"

Instantly, Azusa was wide awake. She sprang from the bed and began to search frantically for her clothes in the pile on the floor.

"Good God, Yui…why didn't you wake me up? I have to work tomorrow! I should have been home by now!"

"Relax," Yui soothed. "I took care of everything while you were asleep. I called your mom about an hour and a half ago and explained that we had a welcome home party, and that we'd invited you to stay over."

Azusa stopped what she was doing and turned to face Yui with her bra in one hand, her panties in the other, and a panicked look on her face. Heaven only knew what Yui had said to her mother. For a brief moment, she had visions of her parents calling her into the living room for the dreaded heart-to-heart talk the moment she got home.

"You…called Mom?"

"Sure did," Yui grinned. "But don't worry. I didn't tell her exactly _how_ we celebrated my coming home. Anyway, it was nice to talk to her again. When I told her what was going on, she packed an overnight bag with your work clothes and some toiletries. One of the staff went over to get it a while ago, and it's downstairs waiting. We can have it brought up in the morning. Don't worry about getting to work – you can take the train from Naganuma to Keiokatakura and be at the high school in no time, or we can ask Nakayama to drive you."

Since Yui seemed to have everything arranged, Azusa relaxed, and decided there was no point to worrying about the situation any further. In fact, once she thought about it, she decided things had worked out better than she'd hoped, since she'd get to spend the night with Yui, something she'd thought wasn't going to be possible. She could only see one down side to the situation: if their earlier lovemaking was any indication, she was in for precious little sleep. After a moment, she decided sleep was overrated.

She looked at the lingerie in her hands, then at Yui, and then back at the lingerie. Then, with a shrug, she tossed the bra and panties back onto the floor.

"Looks like I won't need these, then," she announced, climbing under the covers and peering coyly over the blanket at Yui. "Are you going to join me, or are you just going to sit there reading manga on your tablet? I assume that's what you've been doing all this time."

Yui puffed out her cheeks with false indignation at the gentle teasing.

"Azunyan is so mean! For your information, I have _not_ been reading manga. I've been writing a song. A song about you and me. I want to show you the lyrics, but only if you're going to be nice to me."

Azusa pushed herself up into a sitting position, gaping at Yui in astonishment.

"A song? But you haven't written anything since high school…"

"…and the last lyrics I wrote were for you," Yui reminded her. "Remember _Tenshi ni Fureta yo_?"

"There's no way I could ever forget that song," Azusa smiled. "I can still hear it in my mind."

Her voice trailed off as she remembered how she had put the sound file on loop as soon as Mugi had emailed it to her.

"_Tenshi_ was really important to me," Yui explained. "I wanted you to know how much the four of us treasured your friendship. After I wrote those lyrics, I never really had any motivation to write any others. But things are different now. It's like something snapped inside me tonight, something that's been holding me back for years. That's why I couldn't sleep. After you dozed off, I got up and started writing. After everything that happened today…I mean, just knowing for certain how much you love me, and how much love I feel for you right now…the lyrics just won't stop coming."

Azusa felt humbled by Yui's words. The brunette had always been an inspiration, musically speaking. To know Yui felt the same way about her was an honor.

"I don't at all mind being your muse," she answered quietly, trying with only partial success to keep her voice even. The two women smiled at each other for a moment before Azusa's curiosity got the better of her. "Why don't you bring the tablet with you, and you can show me what you've got? Lose the bathrobe, though."

Showing no hesitation whatsoever, Yui jumped up out of the easy chair. With a wink at Azusa, she shrugged her bathrobe to the floor and joined her lover under the covers, placing the tablet on the nightstand as she settled in.

"Before I let you see what I wrote, there's one small thing I need to take care of," the brunette declared with a sly look that made Azusa wonder what she was up to. "I've been waiting for two and a half hours to do it."

"What's that?"

"This."

Yui reached her hand around the back of Azusa's head and pulled her into a deep, searching kiss. After a moment of resistance, more out of surprise than anything else, she returned the kiss eagerly, luxuriating in the feel of soft skin under her fingertips as she ran her hand gently over the brunette's back. In response, Yui moaned into Azusa's mouth and deepened the kiss further. After a few moments, however, Azusa pulled her lips away, causing her frustrated companion to grunt with displeasure.

"Don't stop now," she complained. "It was just getting really good!"

Azusa propped herself up on one elbow and cocked an eye at her companion.

"Um, the lyrics? A couple minutes ago, you seemed to think they were pretty important."

"Ooh, right, the lyrics," Yui suddenly remembered. "My Azunyan's lips were so soft that I got distracted."

She ran her fingertips playfully across Azusa's chest, earning a gasp and a half-hearted scolding for her efforts. Then, with a smirk, she sat up, reached for the tablet, and tapped at the screen.

"I'm still tweaking the verses, but the chorus is done. I'm pretty pleased with it, actually."

Azusa wasn't so sure.

"How can you write lyrics with no melody? Lyrics aren't really complete until they fit with the music."

"Oh, I have music already written," the brunette explained, leaning back against the headboard, folding her hands behind her head, and ignoring her companion's expression of surprise. "I came up with the hook for the chorus and the melody for the verses last year. Mugi-chan and I were hanging around in the studio one day, and the music just sort of came to me. Mugi-chan really liked what I wrote, but she said I should save it until I could think of my own lyrics rather than letting Mio-chan write them. Tonight, at last, the lyrics came to me while I was watching you sleep."

Azusa sat up alongside Yui, and leaned over so she could see the tablet screen.

"_Wings of an Angel,"_she read aloud, and as she studied the lyrics further, her eyes widened. It was radically different from the usual fluffy HTT offering. These were the words of a grown woman who was absolutely sure of her feelings. They were forthright without seeming blunt, and passionate without coming across as overblown. She had not expected such sophistication from Yui, and it left her deeply impressed.

"These lyrics…they're really good!"

"Thanks, Azunyan," Yui grinned, basking in the praise. "But how could they _not_ be good? They're about you and me, after all. They sound even better than they read. Want to hear the chorus, at least?"

When Azusa nodded, the brunette began to sing softly, as if the words were only meant for the two of them.

_Your love lifts me up  
__Like the wings of an angel  
__Nothing can hold us down  
__We'll touch the sky together…_

Laying the tablet aside again, she looked at Azusa expectantly.

"Well, what do you think?"

Something about the way words and melody worked together touched Azusa deeply. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because the song was about their love, hers and Yui's, or maybe it was of Yui's poignant _a capella_ delivery, or maybe it was some combination of the two. Whatever the reasons, she was so overcome she had trouble forming a response to Yui's question. All she could do was lean over and brush her lips ever so lightly over the brunette's, and then whisper three words into her ear.

"I love you."

"I'd say that means I was successful," the brunette decided. "I'll sing it all the way through for you tomorrow, with the guitar part, once I polish up the second verse a bit. I just know you'll love it!"

Azusa couldn't suppress a smile at Yui's enthusiasm.

"You should put this on the new album, Yui. I can tell just from the chorus that it's going to be a really good song."

"Oh, this song isn't for HTT," the brunette replied, flashing that trademark smile. "I wrote this for you, and I want Steelflower to be the first to perform it. Takeda-san's voice is a bit lower than mine, but you guys can transpose down."

Azusa sank back against the headboard, dumbfounded.

"Yui…but…what…are you serious? The first song you write in years, and you're giving it to us?"

"I'm completely serious," the brunette replied, locking eyes with her flabbergasted girlfriend. "This is my gift to you. Call it a celebration of us being together. I could buy you just about anything you wanted, but this is one thing that I can give you that I could never pay money for. Something that's straight from my heart."

"But you should be writing songs for HTT," Azusa protested. "You guys have another album coming up."

"I will be," Yui assured her. "This song is only the beginning, I promise you. I have all sorts of ideas for lyrics in my head right now, thanks to you. All I need is music, and I can work with Mugi-chan on that part. But as for this song, it's yours. Just listening to Steelflower play…you guys are good, Azunyan. I want to help you succeed any way I can. How else are we going to play Budokan together? That's what we both want, after all."

"It is," Azusa affirmed.

"Then please, Azunyan, accept this song as a first step. It's really important to me that you do."

Yui's eyes had such pleading in them that there was no way Azusa could refuse her. In fact, it was such a generous gift that she could still hardly believe it, and to know that Yui was thinking in terms of their shared dream made it even more significant. Overcome with gratitude, all she could do was pull Yui back down to the mattress and into her arms again, stroking her hair and back, and savoring the feeling of their breasts and stomachs pressed together. They lay that way for some time, content simply to be in each other's arms, until Azusa finally felt Yui stir.

"You know what you said about being happier than you've ever been?" the brunette murmured into her ear. "It's the same way for me. This is perfect, the two of us just like this. I wish you could live here with me so we could do this all the time."

In response, Azusa gently kissed her lover's cheek.

"You know I can't do that, Yui. What would people say? Your fan base likes its female rock stars young, cute, single, and definitely straight. Your sleeping with another woman violates those last two rules. Besides, we're going to have enough problems from being in a same-sex relationship without having to worry about damaging your image on top of it all. We also have to think of our parents, and of how the people at Sakuragaoka might react. No, I may be your lover in private, but in public I need to stay your close friend from high school and college. It's better this way."

Yui considered this for a moment.

"You're right, of course," she admitted ruefully. "You usually are. It looks like the only way to show the world how I really feel about you is through my music, at least for the time being. And I love you so much that I have a lot to say."

"And I'll never get tired of listening," Azusa declared. "But there's something you need to consider. The press and the fan sites are going to wonder why you suddenly started writing songs after all these years, and they're certainly going to ask you some tough questions about where you're getting the inspiration for your lyrics. They're probably going assume you have a secret boyfriend or something."

The idea clearly struck Yui as hilarious, because she burst into a fit of giggling. Unable to resist the almost musical sound, Azusa soon joined her.

"Me with a boyfriend?" the brunette cackled. "Oh, that's a good one! Well, if the press wants to think that, let them. If they ask me about it, I'll just smile and give them my standard non-answer. It's part of my mystique to keep them guessing, you know."

When the laughter had subsided, Azusa pulled Yui close again, and pressed her lips against Yui's neck. The brunette's breath hitched, and she shivered with pleasure.

"I'm trying to inspire you some more," the younger guitarist said in between light kisses to Yui's jawline. "Is it working?"

"It's an excellent start," Yui gasped. "I think I'm going to need more than that, though."

Azusa's fingers fluttered over Yui's skin, and her mouth trailed downward, kissing and nibbling as it went. When the smaller woman's callused fingers found Yui's breasts, the brunette groaned and arched her back, pushing her body against Azusa's.

"Oh, God yes, _koneko-chan_…just like that…"

* * *

**A/N:**

− Thanks go to my creative partner Musician74 for her valuable assistance. This chapter was a tricky one to write, and her patience and persistence helped me see it through to the end. Thank you, Beta-chan, for everything.

− A traditional Japanese meal centers around rice, with side dishes (_okazu_) consisting of meat (most commonly fish), soup, and _tsukemono_ (Japanese-style pickles). In meals prepared at home, there will typically only be one meat dish. On more formal occasions, however, when fish is served there will sometimes be two dishes, one hot and the other cold. The meal Yui orders reflects this.

− Because _sashimi_ (raw fish) requires special training to prepare, it is almost never eaten at home. Not only that, it is quite expensive. Because of this, most Japanese can only afford to eat it infrequently, maybe two or three times a month at the most. Some sashimi is more expensive than others, making it a rare treat. This is why Azusa reacts to the yellowtail the way she does.

− _Takoyaki_ (octopus balls) are a common snack food in Japan, although they are sometimes eaten at a meal as a side dish. The simplest kind are made of chunks of octopus covered in batter and cooked in a special pan that produces their spherical shape.

− _Aishiteru, _by the acoustic duo Kōrin, was released in 2009. Originally the ending theme for the anime _Natsume's Book of Friends_, it has become an extremely popular song for women to sing to their significant others during Valentine's Day karaoke. YouTube clip 3-I-lfjNg2Q has English subtitles.

− **_EDIT, 11/17/2012:_** Genki fan Captain Ritsu has contributed fanart for this chapter (warning! NSFW!). You can find it on deviantArt at the following address (remove the spaces): jaja-sick-bear. deviantart #/d5l98jw .

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	5. Chapter 5: Escalation

**A/N:**

_**WARNING! This chapter contains M-rated content! **_There is a strong lesbian theme throughout, and there are depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative. Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

_**NOTE ON FORMATTING:**_ Even though this story is written in English, the characters' default language is understood to be Japanese. [Bracketed text like this denotes that the words or thoughts are in English.] All internal monologue and song lyrics are _italicized_.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Escalation**

_4/23/2016, 1:08 pm  
__Basement Studio, The Carriage House, Kotobuki Family Estate, Naganumamachi 598, Hachiōji_

"It's not like you to be early," Sumire commented as she and Tori headed down the stairs to the studio entrance. "Usually, you get here right on time."

The guitarist shrugged.

"What can I say? I've been grading English homework since yesterday afternoon, and I figured I could use the change of scenery. I really needed to get out of that crummy one-room mansion."

Sumire nodded sympathetically.

"Jun-san was in Tōkyō last night, wasn't she? Normally, you guys would be at karaoke or some club or other on a Friday night."

"Yeah. She was covering a concert for her magazine. To be honest, it was a little boring without her around to pester me."

Tori tried to make the comment sound casual, but in reality she had missed the pig-tailed bassist a lot more than she wanted to let on. Once Jun had called to tell her she was running early for the day's session, Tori had impulsively decided to be at the Carriage House waiting for her. She didn't even know why; she just felt she needed to see Jun sooner rather than later. There was really nothing more to it than that, she told herself.

"Nao and I were just talking about how well you two get along," Sumire commented.

"Yeah, Jun's a good friend," Tori mumbled, unwilling to talk about it further. The drummer seemed to take the hint, and dropped the subject.

As they pushed through the door to the studio, Sumire flipped the light switches, bathing the studio in a blue-white fluorescent glow. As wave of chilly basement air hit her, Tori couldn't help shivering.

"Geez, it's freezing in here."

"Yes, it is," Sumire apologized. "I'll turn up the thermostat in a moment."

"Thanks. Not too much, though, or we'll be sweating once we get going. Any sign of Azu?"

"She's upstairs in Yui-san's suite," the blonde smirked. "In fact, I haven't seen her since she got here yesterday afternoon. She probably won't show up before 14:00."

Tori grinned back at her knowingly. HTT had returned from the domestic leg of their spring tour the previous morning, and Azusa had headed straight to the Kotobuki Estate as soon as afternoon homeroom let out. Not a moment too soon, as far as Tori was concerned.

"It's been a long month for Azu. She was really getting to be a handful with Yui-san on tour. Now that HTT's finally back in town, maybe she'll relax."

"We can only hope," Sumire agreed. "Any word from Jun-san yet?"

Tori shook her head.

"I haven't heard from her since she called me from Shinjuku. That was at about…noon, I think."

"She'll probably be here pretty soon," the drummer guessed. "Nao's still down the street at our apartment, but I expect her in another half hour or so. I've left word with the valet on duty to send them both straight downstairs. Anyway, now that you're settled, I need to take care of some things for Ojō-sama. Just call my cell phone if you need anything."

Sumire excused herself and left, closing the studio door behind her. After she was gone, Tori thought about unpacking her guitars and equipment, but decided against it, and instead neatly stacked the cases and her backpack along the wall. More than likely, she wouldn't need her instruments, anyway. The band would be working on its four demo tracks that day, but the instrumental parts were nearly finished. The only thing Nao had planned for her and Jun was to re-record the vocals.

Since there was nothing else to do before the session started, Tori decided to listen to music on her media player to pass the time until Jun arrived. After taking a seat in the nearest corner, she stuffed in her ear buds, cued up her playlist of American alternative rock, and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes to shut out the glare of the overhead lights. Soon she was wrapped in a sonic cocoon, but as one song blended into the next, her attention drifted away from the music, and she found herself wondering what Jun was doing at that moment. Knowing the frizzy-haired girl, she was probably asleep on the train, mouth open and drool running down her chin. Tori couldn't hold back a smile at the thought, and before she knew it, images of her energetic friend began to flash through her mind.

Azusa's prediction that Tori and Jun would get along well proved to be on the mark. The bassist's unrestrained, almost brash way of approaching life seemed far more American than Japanese, and it fit perfectly with Tori's laid-back, informal sensibilities. They clicked instantly, and despite their rough beginning, they were soon inseparable.

But for all the positives, there was still hint of awkwardness between them. Jun loved to flirt, and did so shamelessly at every opportunity. Tori, a world-class tease herself, had welcomed that as a sort of challenge, and their to-and-fro during rehearsal often drove Azusa to distraction. However, even though Jun tried to pass off their banter as harmless fun, Tori knew her lighthearted attitude masked a very deep attraction, and now, one month on, Tori could no longer deny that she was powerfully drawn to Jun as well. She fought against the feelings as best she could, but it was like swimming against a strong tide. She kept reminding herself that she was in a relationship with Jackson, and that she didn't date fellow band members, so there could never be anything other than friendship between her and Jun. She chanted those words over and over in her head like a mantra, but they seemed less and less convincing with each passing day.

With a start, Tori realized that Jun had once again managed to seize control of her thoughts. It was bewildering, and more than a little frustrating, that the bassist could affect her like this. At the moment, however, the last thing she needed was to waste emotional energy deconstructing her and Jun's friendship. Today's session was important, and she couldn't afford to be too distracted. In an attempt to center herself, she cranked up the volume, and since she knew the lyrics of most of the songs on the playlist, began singing along in English. Soon, Jun was temporarily forgotten, and as Tori began to get into it, she started bobbing her head up and down, bouncing to the beat as she sang.

"_[Don't touch me, I've got crossed wires/Keep your fingers free from these crossed wireZAAGH!]"_

A gentle kick to the sole of her foot propelled the startled yell out of her at full volume. Reflexively, she sat bolt upright, and her eyes snapped open to find Jun smirking at her.

"What's the matter? Did I scare you?"

Tori heaved a sigh of relief as the shock of Jun's sudden appearance faded away.

"Don't ever do that!" she scolded. "Geez, I didn't even hear you come in."

Tori took a second, longer look at the bassist, and immediately wished she hadn't. Jun's royal blue crop top clung to her like a second skin. Her usual baggy jeans rode low on her hips, leaving a wide strip of toned abs visible between their waistband and the lower hem of her shirt. Not only that, the effect of the still-chilly studio air provided indisputable evidence that she wasn't wearing a bra. The visual image made Tori's insides clench, and she couldn't prevent her eyes from lingering a bit too long. Finally, with a gulp, she forced herself to focus on Jun's face. _I'm pretty sure she saw me staring,_ she thought. _God, she's going to give me such a hard time over that._

For the moment, Jun appeared not to notice where Tori had been looking, or she chose to ignore it. Her lips scrunched into a make-believe pout.

"No 'hello, Jun'? Some greeting for a weary traveler. And to think I busted my shapely butt to get here early so we could hang out before the recording session. So how is Japan's sexiest guitarist today?"

As usual, Jun was hitting on her from the start, but Tori was more than prepared to give as good as she got.

"If you're so tired, why don't you park that so-called shapely butt right next to me?" she offered, patting the floor beside her. "And if you're trying to charm me by calling me sexy, it's working, so keep it up. Hey, speaking of early arrivals, was Nostradamus off by three years or so? Because the only reason you'd ever be early for anything is if the world was about to end."

Jun placed her bass and equipment bag to one side and sat on the floor next to Tori, leaning back against the wall so that they were shoulder to shoulder.

"Your on-time record isn't any better," she pretended to scoff, smiling mischievously at her companion. "Anyway, I already told you on the phone that getting here early was the least I could do, seeing how I left you alone last night. Admit it – you totally missed me, didn't you?"

"Did not."

"Did so. Or were you texting me every fifteen minutes just to annoy me? It didn't work, by the way. I was actually happy to hear from you, because I missed you, too. It turns out that covering a rock concert is a lot of work when the band is all guys. There weren't very many hot girls to stare at, and none of them had bodies that could compete with yours."

"This is the part where you stare at my breasts and drool, isn't it?" Tori quipped. "Go on, get it over with."

"Well, it would only be fair, since you were staring at mine just now. In fact, your eyes were all over me. I guess you like my outfit, then?"

She giggled. Realizing Jun had indeed caught her earlier, Tori cursed inwardly, but was determined not to let her friend gain the upper hand.

"How could I _not_ stare? You're dressed like a soap girl, and you practically waved your boobs in my face. Anyway, you should try pulling up your pants once in a while. Oh, and wear a bra, too, at least for modesty's sake. It's not like you need one for anything else."

When Jun's face reddened just a tiny bit, Tori knew she'd struck a nerve.

"Hey, they're not _that_ small!" the bassist shot back. "Besides, it's not like you were trying to look away. You were totally checking them out."

"Idiot! I was _not_!"

Tori's words of protest rang hollow, and they both knew it. Jun's face wore a look of smug triumph.

"Anyway, I don't need to look. I got my eyeful right before I kicked your foot. They're as magnificent as ever, by the way. And you were totally defenseless. If I was the groping kind, I definitely would have taken advantage."

With a suggestive grin, Jun wiggled her fingers to demonstrate. At the thought of those hands actually touching her breasts, the heat swiftly rose through Tori's cheeks, and she decided she'd had enough.

"God, you're like a dirty old pervert on a train. Just…quit it, okay? No more messing around. You've used up your quota for the day."

With a shrug, Jun surrendered.

"Okay, have it your way," she laughed. "You know, most of what I say about your rack is just in fun. I don't really check them out as much as I make it seem. Besides, they're not your best feature."

Tori winced, afraid of what was coming.

"I probably shouldn't ask, but…exactly what _is_ my best feature?"

All traces of teasing vanished from Jun's expression.

"Your eyes. I just kind of…get lost in them."

Tori could immediately tell that Jun was being serious, and the change caught her completely off guard. She expected sexual innuendo from Jun, but her friend had never said anything like this to her before. The words made her heart beat faster, and suddenly she couldn't hold her friend's gaze for very long. However, there was a healthy dose of guilt mixed in with the rush of pleasure. Why did Jun have the power to make her feel this way? She should only be responding like this if it was Jackson saying such sweet things to her. And yet, the pulse pounding in her ears was no illusion.

"Oh, they're nothing special. You're just trying to get me flustered."

"No, I really mean it," Jun insisted.

"Okay, now you're starting to act weird. Are you feeling all right?"

Jun looked like she wanted to say something further, but then changed her mind. After a long moment, her breezy manner abruptly returned.

"Never mind me. It must have been a random mood swing or something. Hey, how about I tell you about last night?"

Jun's excuse seemed a little too convenient, but Tori was glad for the change of subject, so she let it pass.

"Yeah, I was curious. You were at The Loft, right?"

"I was. It was a pretty good show, actually – an up-and-coming trio from Tokushima, trying to make a name for themselves. Their music's definitely different, in a good way. I'm going to give them a thumbs-up in my review."

"Sounds like you had fun."

Jun nodded and smiled.

"Definitely. The show was awesome. I thought about asking you to go with me, but I was afraid you'd say no. We would have had to room together, and probably share a bed, too."

A brief vision of the two of them lying next to each other forced itself into Tori's mind, but she shoved it firmly aside.

"That would have definitely been a 'no,'" she declared. "No way am I sharing a hotel room with you. You'd feel me up in my sleep, you opportunist."

"I told you, I'm not the groping kind," Jun protested. "I wouldn't have laid a hand on you. Not unless you asked me to, anyway. Never mind all that, though. I've got another assignment in the city next weekend, and it's way better than last night's. I want you to come with me this time. I'll pay for everything – all you have to do is show up and look gorgeous, like you always do. And it's not an overnight, either, so no shared hotel room. What do you say?"

"It sounds like you're asking me on a date," Tori frowned. "We're just friends, Jun, in case you were wondering."

The bassist rolled her eyes.

"Geez, you worry too much. Fine, don't call it a date. Think of it as us just hanging out together like we usually do, except that we'd be at O-Nest instead of someplace local."

The moment Jun mentioned O-Nest, she had Tori's full attention. Located in Shibuya, it was considered by many to be one of the top small venues in the country. Japanese rock bands didn't play there unless they were on the verge of breaking out on a national level. Even back in junior high, Tori had dreamed of playing O-Nest, and she'd always wanted to go to a show there, but had never had the chance.

"O-Nest, huh?" she mused, trying not to give Jun satisfaction by sounding too enthusiastic. "Who's playing? Anyone I've heard of? Must be a really hot act to get a show there."

"Wada Akira. She's a friend from college. I didn't know her as well as Azusa or Yui-san did, though. The three of them were really tight. Akira-san's rough around the edges personality-wise, but oh, God, is she talented. She's a solo act – just got picked up by a major label, and they're really pushing her. I think you'd really like her style."

Tori remembered hearing Azusa talk admiringly about Akira and her hard-rock sensibilities. She sounded like Tori's kind of performer.

"Whoa, I bet that'll be a hell of a show."

"Yeah, and it gets better. Akira-san invited me to the after-party, too, and she said I could bring a guest. I want that guest to be you. Call it a date, don't call it a date, I don't care, but it's going to be blast either way. Not only that, Yui-san and Azusa are going, too. C'mon, Tori, say yes. Please."

"Geez, you don't have to beg. You knew I was going to say yes, especially if you're paying."

Jun's face lit up.

"Great! It's a date. Oops…I meant it's a non-date."

Tori couldn't resist laughing out loud.

"You said that on purpose, didn't you?"

"No way," Jun giggled. "I got excited because you said 'yes,' and it just came out wrong, I swear."

"Who said 'yes' to what, now?"

Tori hadn't even noticed Azusa walk in, and the sound of the guitarist's voice startled her momentarily. When she turned to look, however, she did a double take. Azusa was dressed with uncharacteristic informality in a B'z concert t-shirt and jeans, and she was wearing her hair down instead of in its usual ponytail. She looked relaxed, confident, and energetic – a far cry from the mopey, short-tempered Azusa of just 24 hours before. Tori marveled at the change, knowing it had to have come about because of Yui's return. She couldn't resist feeling a passing twinge of envy over the bond two women shared.

"We were talking about Akira-san's show," Jun explained "She just agreed to be my date. I mean, my guest."

She looked sidelong at Tori, as if expecting her to protest. Instead, the guitarist decided to play along for a change, more to provoke a reaction from Azusa than anything else.

"I had no choice. She threatened to grope me if I refused. You know what a degenerate she is."

Tori's gambit worked.

"Don't even start," Azusa groaned. "Geez, you two are just too much. Do you think you could lighten up on the innuendo long enough to get ready for the recording session, please?"

"Wow, you've got even less of a sense of humor today than usual," Tori teased. "Funny, I would have thought you'd be in a better mood after last night."

She flashed a meaningful look at Jun, who immediately took the hint.

"Speaking of last night, how was it?" the bassist asked, making it sound like an innocent request for information. "Did you get enough sleep? Any trouble walking today? How about your fingers – they're not stiff or sore, are they?"

"You really should put some concealer on that hickey," Tori chimed in.

"And what about your voice?" Jun smirked. "We're doing vocals today, right? If you did a lot of screaming last night…"

"_Enough!"_

At Azusa's abrupt command, both Jun's and Tori's mouths snapped shut. The lead guitarist blushed a bright red, but that didn't stop her from glaring at them, or from scolding them for teasing her.

"What I do behind closed doors is none of your business. Get your minds out of the gutter. We've got important work to do today, and you two are up first, so quit fooling around and start getting your voices warmed up. I'll join you in a minute. We'll get the studio set up as soon as Nao gets here."

As Azusa stalked off toward the control room, Jun and Tori turned toward each other, biting back on their laughter until their beleaguered leader was out of earshot.

"She's so easy to mess with," the bassist snickered.

"Yeah, but we should probably do what she wants. I'd hate to ruin her good mood for more than a few minutes after what she put us through this past month."

"True," Jun agreed. "Hey, how about a little bet?"

Tori looked at her pig-tailed friend with suspicion.

"What kind of bet?"

"First one to forget lyrics buys dinner."

"You're on, Pigtails-chan," the guitarist grinned. "I never forget lyrics, ever. But get this straight – no cheating to try to get me to blow it. That means no making faces, no dirty dancing, and no weird gestures. Got it?"

Jun's face fell.

"I'm doomed," she whined. "I can't win this without cheating."

"Hey, the bet was your idea. Besides, it's your turn to buy. Lucky for you, I'm in the mood for _udon_ tonight."

"So you're saying you're a cheap date. Uh, I mean, not-date."

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

_4/29/2016, 5:00 pm  
__Club Live Passion, Misaki-cho 2-5, Hachiōji_

Tori eyed the ramshackle facility in front of her.

"It looks like a typical live house. In other words, it's a dump."

Azusa had to agree. The exterior wall next to the entryway was covered with a mosaic of peeling rock concert posters, some of them years old. Acid-rain stains and soot deposits streaked the granite facing that ran around the top of the building, giving it a dingy, weather-beaten look. Azusa decided the building blended in well with the neighborhood, which was a particularly down-at-the-heels section of Hachiōji's business district. The gray, overcast sky, herald of a spring rain to come, served only to emphasize the bleakness of the setting.

"It looks just as trashy as ever," she declared. "You think this is bad, you should have seen their old building in Azuma-cho. That place was half this size, and even nastier-looking. I've played worse places, though. So have you, I'll bet, so you probably shouldn't complain."

"I guess you're right. I played this one place in San Francisco that looked like it was about to collapse at any second. Worst gig ever. This is definitely several steps up from that."

"It's the hottest live house in town," Azusa reminded her. "That's not saying much given that this is Hachiōji and not Tōkyō, but we've got to start somewhere. Anyway, my last band had a regular gig here until we broke up, and the crowd was always good. That's what really matters, right? I mean, who cares what the place looks like?"

"You've got a point. Hey, do you think we're a bit overdressed for a place like this? I wouldn't go to a rock club in the States dressed this way. They'd laugh me out of the place."

She motioned to the business suit she was wearing. Azusa, who was similarly attired, shrugged.

"Probably, but it's not like it could be helped. We came straight from work. Besides, it's not going to be an issue. Kawakami-san isn't the kind to care about stuff like that."

Tori seemed satisfied with the answer.

"I'll take your word for it. So explain to me again how you know this Kawakami-san."

"The manager? I told you, I've played here before. Besides that, she's an old friend of Yamanaka-san's. I met her back in 2008, when I was in HTT. We played our first live house at Live Passion, in the old location, and she was manager back then, too. She's really friendly and informal, but don't let that fool you. She's not going to sign us just because Yamanaka-san recommended us."

There was a trace of cynicism in Tori's reply.

"Maybe not, but you know as well as I do that it's not just what you know, but who you know. I guess we owe Yamanaka-san thanks for getting us in here."

"Yui didn't have to work too hard to get her to call Kawakami-san. She wants to help us out, for old time's sake if nothing else."

The two women headed up the dark, narrow stairs leading to the live house entrance. The stairwell walls, and the door at the top, were covered with nicotine stains and graffiti. As they pushed through the entrance, an electronic chime sounded. A female voice called out a response to their greeting from somewhere inside the facility.

"Be right there!"

Azusa and Tori waited in the tiny, poorly-lit alcove inside the door. There were old concert posters all over the walls, although these were better preserved than the ones plastered on the front of the building. A whiff of stale beer and tobacco smoke hung in the air. It was all quite familiar to Azusa; every venue she'd ever played seemed to look and smell exactly the same.

After a minute or so, a tall, attractive, woman in her thirties appeared from out of the darkness of the main floor.

"Sorry for the wait. I was in the back signing for a delivery. Every time I get something done, three other things come up."

When she spotted Azusa, the light of recognition flickered in her eyes, and she greeted the guitarist cheerfully.

"Nakano-san, good to see you again! It's been a few months. You look well."

"Hello, Kawakami-san," Azusa replied as she and Tori bowed in greeting. "Nice to see you again, too. This is my colleague, Takeda Natsumi, our lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist."

Janice returned their bows with a casual nod, then turned to Tori.

"Kawakami Janice. Nice to meet you. You must be the one Sawako was telling me about. You're American, right?"

Tori nodded.

"Nice to meet you, too. Yes, I'm an American, but my parents were born in Japan, and my grandparents are all from this area."

"Wow, your Japanese is excellent. So you're an old friend of Nakano-san's, are you?"

It seemed like polite, ice-breaking conversation, but Azusa immediately knew Janice was sizing Tori up. She had warned her friend that since she was an unknown in the local music scene, Janice would naturally be curious about her, especially since Sawako had told the manager that Tori was the band's front, and therefore likely to be the most visible. It had to do with marketability. The rhythm guitarist was prepared for Janice's question, and explained briefly how she'd spent five years in Hachiōji and had performed with Azusa in junior high.

"I played in local bands for about five years in northern California before I moved back to Japan to take the job at Sakuragaoka. Three of those were with a band with a pretty big regional following."

"Sawako saw clips of you performing, and she was really impressed," Janice remembered. "That takes some doing, because she's pretty jaded. Hey, let's not hang around out here. Come on upstairs and we'll talk."

She led them up a narrow stairway and into a spacious office. Unlike the seemingly seedy atmosphere of the main area of the club, the room was immaculately clean and organized. There was a wide window on the far wall, through which Azusa could dimly make out the stage. Janice gestured toward the sofa and two chairs at the far end of the room.

"Have a seat over here. You guys want some tea?"

Azusa looked questioningly at Tori, who nodded.

"Yes, please," the lead guitarist replied. "Black for Takeda-san, milk and two sugars for me."

As the three women sipped from their steaming mugs, Azusa and Janice made small talk about which bands were hot in Western Tōkyō at the moment. Janice also seemed quite interested in Tori's experiences in the States, and asked a number of questions about the music scene in Northern California. After several minutes of chatting like this, Janice finally set her mug on the coffee table.

"Before we start, there's something you should know. Sawako pushed you guys hard to me, and you have a strong connection to HTT, but I need to be brutally honest with you – pretty much all those things did for you was to get you in the door. Beyond that, I have to treat you just like any other band. The company that owns Live Passion pays me to keep the crowds coming, and that won't happen unless the music is fresh and interesting. So for me to consider you, you need to show me not only that you have talent, but that there's something unique about you. Your image, your music – the whole package – it all has to set you apart from all those other bands out there that are gunning for that same gig you're after."

Azusa pulled a memory stick out of her pocket and handed it to Janice.

"This has four demo tracks and our photo spread on it."

"Give me a second to import the files," the manager replied. She walked to her desk to retrieve her tablet computer, and inserted the device into one of its ports. After several taps to the screen, the image file containing the first of Steelflower's publicity photos appeared. Janice placed the tablet on the coffee table so all three of them could see it, then took a moment to look the picture over appraisingly.

It was simple pose, with all five women in a line, arms crossed and expressions serious. They were all dressed in pastel colored tops and tight blue jeans except for Nao, who wore her trademark all-black outfit, and Jun, who sported an oversized concert t-shirt along with her usual baggy jeans and red sneakers. Both Azusa and Sumire had their hair down, which made them look younger.

"Good-looking bunch," Janice noted. "Yeah, no question you've got the cute factor nailed. My male regulars would really like that. You've got all the boxes checked: _genki _girl, emo _meganekko_, loli…"

Azusa flinched, knowing Janice was referring to her. She hoped the manager couldn't hear the sound of her teeth grinding.

"…well-endowed idol type…"

Out of the corner of her eye, Azusa could see Tori blush at the obvious reference to her chest.

"…hot, blonde foreign chick…"

Janice did a double-take, then studied the image more closely.

"…hey, is that Saitō Sumire?"

"It is," Azusa confirmed.

"Wow, she's your drummer, huh?" Janice whistled. "I heard she left Train Wreck last month, and it caused a big ruckus because it was so sudden. Never did hear where she wound up, though. Now I know. Sawako didn't tell me about this. You guys must have something worthwhile going if you managed to pull her away from an established band."

She peered intently at the screen.

"Okay, help me out here. I recognize you two and Saitō-san, but I can't place _genki_ or _meganekko_."

"The one with the glasses is Okuda Nao," Azusa explained. "She's our DJ and turntablist."

Janice chuckled.

"A rock band with a DJ? Someone should probably remind you guys what year this is."

"We're not a Linkin Park cover band, if that's what you're thinking," Tori interjected with some heat.

"Actually, Okuda-san hardly does any turntabling at all," Azusa added quickly, hoping Janice hadn't taken offense at Tori's comeback. "Samples are her specialty. Keyboards, guitar, percussion, you name it. She gives us a really fat sound. Plus, she engineered the demo tracks, and she writes all our original material."

To Azusa's relief, Janice appeared to take both her and Tori's comments in stride.

"I guess that's fair. So she's your main writer, huh? Okuda-san…where do I know that name from?"

"She's on the music staff at Sunrise Animation," Azusa told her. "She wrote _Kawasaki Thunderball_."

"The Top 10 song? _That_ Okuda-san?"

When Azusa nodded, Janice seemed even more impressed.

"The one with the pigtails is our bassist, Suzuki Jun," the lead guitarist continued.

Janice's eyes lit up with sudden recognition.

"Oh, yeah, how could I forget her? Writes for _Arupejio_, right? She's covered a bunch of shows here. I never knew she played bass."

"She plays it very well," Tori stated. "Best I've ever played with."

Janice smirked at her.

"I'll just have to draw my own conclusion from the sound files, won't I?"

It was a gentle rebuke, and Azusa could tell from Tori's mumbled apology that her friend knew it. Janice had already moved on, however. She scrolled through the series of individual and group publicity photos, then leaned back in her chair, running her fingers through her shaggy, dyed-brown hair as she spoke her thoughts out loud.

"Well, you're not a bunch of noobs in a garage band, that's for sure. That's actually good news. I guess I should play the sound files at this point."

She walked over to the docking station on the shelf behind her desk and inserted the tablet to the cradle on its console. After more taps to the screen, music began to flow from the speakers hanging from the ceiling in the upper corners of the room on either side of the shelf.

Nao had designed Steelflower's distinctive, guitar-driven sound around Azusa and Tori, and the sonic flood that poured into Janice's office reflected it. The band may have had its roots in Wakaba Girls and the original Steelflower, but it was really ToriAzu reunited, augmented by Jun and Sumire's powerful, complex rhythm lines and Nao's tapestry of samples. It was a far cry from the acoustic vibe of Azusa and Tori's junior high performances, but in the end it was still about the musical connection between the two women.

The first track, _Answer,_ was an up-tempo reworking of one of the first songs Nao had written back in 2010.

…_But how do I get it right?  
__Is there such a thing as the right answer?…_

As she listened to Tori and Jun belt out the chorus, their two-part harmony buoyed by a roar of powerful guitar chords, Azusa smiled inwardly, recalling how Nao had written the lyrics specifically for her to sing, and how the bespectacled producer had borne that first screechy performance with good humor. Nao had transposed the key so the lead vocal fit Tori's range, and had given the new arrangement a much harder edge than it had when Wakaba Girls first played it. It was an excellent choice as an opening track, Azusa thought.

_Answer_ gave way to probably the riskiest offering on the playlist, a cover of _According to You,_ which had been a huge hit for the Australian guitar prodigy Orianthi several years earlier. Nao was a long-time Orianthi fan, and now that she had Azusa's guitar skills and Tori's strong vocal presence to work with, she had insisted on arranging the song for Steelflower. Azusa had objected to the song for two reasons. For one, Jun couldn't speak a word of English, which meant Azusa would have to sing back-up, something she tried to avoid. Her biggest fear, however, was that the audience wouldn't like the foreign feel of a song that wasn't in Japanese. But Nao had pushed hard for it, arguing that since Tori was bilingual, it would be foolish not to use her language skills to their advantage. She also reminded Azusa that Orianthi's original version had peaked at third place on the Japanese Hot 100, even though the lyrics were in English. It would definitely get them noticed, she had predicted. As for Jun, the bassist was determined to sing alongside Tori at any cost, even if she had to do it phonetically.

Azusa ultimately gave in to their pleas, and as she listened to the track again, she was glad she did. Nao had stuck pretty close to Orianthi's original high-powered arrangement, except that she had added eight extra bars to the guitar solo to showcase Azusa's skills. As her improvised lead guitar line filled the office, she followed every note, mentally moving her fingers along with the music.

During _Answer_ and _According to You,_ Janice didn't speak, and her expression remained neutral. She appeared to be listening closely to the music, however. Azusa suspected that she was waiting until she'd heard all four songs to form an opinion. Still, the guitarist searched for some sign, any clue at all, that their music was making an impression. _That's quite a poker face she's got,_ she worried. _I wish I knew what she's thinking._

The third track was the one that meant the most to Azusa personally, and the one she was most proud of: Yui's _Wings of an Angel_. From the very first note, all the feelings that had washed through her the first time Yui had sung the chorus for her came flooding back, and she had to make a conscious effort to retain her poise. Tori's majestic, soaring vocal didn't make it any easier.

_Your love lifts me up  
__Like the wings of an angel…_

Yui had made it a point to be in the studio when the song was being recorded, and under her tutelage, Tori had turned in an extraordinarily passionate performance. Azusa turned to catch the eye of her fellow guitarist, nodding in wordless compliment. Tori smiled back as if to say, "There's no way she won't like this track." Azusa hoped she was right.

_Wings of an Angel_ ended, but still Janice offered no comment. Azusa exchanged glances with Tori again, hoping her anxiety didn't show on her face. She could tell by the look in her friend's eyes that she was just as unnerved by Janice's lack of feedback.

The final track, _Relentless,_ was another of Nao's original compositions. Unlike _Answer_, she had written this one especially for Tori within a few days of the band's formation. It was about a girl trying, and ultimately failing, to fight off the attention of her would-be suitor. Azusa had realized immediately that it was about Tori and Jun, and had been concerned that the lyrics would serve to further complicate things between the two friends. She had wondered if Nao hadn't overstepped her bounds, but the producer had just smiled enigmatically and urged her to give it a chance. To her surprise, but not at all to Nao's, both Tori and Jun missed the point of the song entirely, and in fact found it amusing. Azusa was glad things had worked out, because the result was a hard-driving rock anthem with a catchy hook in the chorus.

_I'm on the run with no way out  
__Got no choice but surrender, 'cause  
__Your love's relentless…_

The final, feedback-laden chord faded away, and for what seemed like hours, Janice sat as if in deep thought. Azusa shifted uneasily in her seat, not sure what to make of the manager's reaction, or rather, her lack of one. She'd been through this process before, and knew rejection was the rule, but experience didn't make the news any easier to take. Still, she could almost hear the dreaded words now: _"Sorry. You guys are really good, but I'm afraid you're just not what we're looking for." _It was going to hurt more than usual this time, because there seemed to be so much more at stake. She wondered how she was going to break the news to Yui.

Just as Azusa was about to give up hope, Janice surprised her by suddenly jumping from her chair and retrieving her tablet from the dock. She exchanged nervous glances with Tori, wondering what the manager was up to. Computer in hand, Janice returned to her seat, and, for the first time since the music began to play, she smiled.

"I have just one question. Where have you guys been hiding?"

Azusa and Tori gaped first at each other, then at Janice.

"I'm sorry…?" the lead guitarist ventured.

The older woman chuckled at their obvious confusion.

"Oh, that was just a joke. Sawako told me you've only been together for a month, but I have to admit that it sure doesn't sound like it. Remember how I said it was a good thing that you guys were all experienced musicians? Well, that experience showed in what I just heard. And those tracks? That's a really interesting mixture of influences…definitely not the usual set list for a new j-rock band, where all the songs sound the same. That song in English…Orianthi, right?"

Azusa nodded.

"I don't follow international music that closely, but I really like that number," the manager continued. "The audience here gets a kick out of the occasional song in English, as long as a band doesn't sing too many of them."

"It's the only one on our set list," Tori assured her.

"Good. Even though it was in English, that song was well done. My God, Nakano-san, the way you ripped through that solo, Orianthi has got to be watching her back right now. I really liked it. In fact, I liked all four tracks a lot, but my favorite song was easily the third one, the power ballad. What was the title?"

"_Wings of an Angel,"_ Azusa replied, smiling at Janice's praise of her guitar playing.

"Should have seen that coming from the lyrics," Janice grinned. "That song…powerful and beautiful at the same time. My regulars would eat it up, and to have a cute girl with a strong voice sing it would make it even more appealing to them. Did Okuda-san write it?"

"Hirasawa-san wrote it, actually," Azusa told her.

"Oh, an HTT song. So it's a cover, then?"

"No, she wrote it specifically for us," Azusa lied, not wanting to say that the song was really Yui's gift to her personally. "She's our important friend, and she wanted to help us out."

Janice looked thoughtful for a moment.

"You guys have the likes of Hirasawa-san writing songs for you? That's some serious star power, and it's going to get you big publicity."

"That was just a one-time thing," Azusa protested.

"Still, it shows that you have HTT behind you. It's definitely not going to hurt you. But I would have liked what I heard today even if Sawako and HTT weren't involved. You guys are definitely an interesting outfit. I like both your image and your sound, and your execution is really polished for such a new group. I can only imagine what you're going to be like when you've been playing together longer. Anyway, you've impressed the hell out of me, and with perfect timing, too."

Azusa stared at Janice, uncomprehending, until Tori finally broke the silence.

"Um, what do you mean, 'perfect timing'?"

"Originally, I was going to offer you a slot in our next Amateur Night line-up if you were halfway decent," Janice explained. "But I've changed my mind. You guys are definitely above amateur class, and that makes you the solution to one of my biggest challenges of the week. One of our regular bands just broke up, and I've been calling around to agents I know to try to find an established outfit to replace them. It looks like I won't need to make any more calls, because you guys are an excellent fit for Live Passion. The first open date is…"

She tapped her tablet screen several times.

"…May 27th, which is a Friday. Appearances would be every other Friday night until the end of August, with the house's option to renew at that point. What do you say?"

Azusa's head spun. A regular gig – it didn't seem possible. She had come in thinking Steelflower might have a shot at an Amateur Night performance, at best, but not only had they impressed Janice, they had caught a lucky break as well. It took all the self-control she could muster not to scream the words at the top of her lungs.

"Count us in. And thank you very much!"

She flashed a triumphant grin at Tori, who looked like she was going to faint from shock. Meanwhile, Janice had quickly returned to her businesslike manner of earlier.

"Okay, then, let's talk details. There are three bands playing those recurring Friday gigs. I rotate the start times, so you'll only have to do the 18:30 show every third appearance. You'll have two hours, including set-up and teardown, so you're looking at about an hour of performance time. That's probably 10 to 12 songs worth."

Janice and Azusa went on to discuss terms, including the ticket quota, Steelflower's share of the gross, and fees for sound, lights, and video recording services. When they were done negotiating, Janice stood, and Azusa and Tori followed suit.

"Welcome to Live Passion," the manager beamed. "Come by on Monday to sign the papers. The same time is fine. Other than that, there's nothing more to do but start preparing for next month. Oh, and one more thing. You guys are self-managed, and that may work for a small-time outfit, but you really should look into hiring a manager. My gut feeling tells me you're going to need one sooner than you think."

Janice escorted them downstairs, unlocking the door to let them out. It was nearly opening time, and there was a line of people on the outside stairs, waiting for the place to open. Azusa and Tori slowly worked their way downward through the press of bodies and haze of cigarette smoke. It was only when they were a block down the street from Live Passion that they allowed themselves to celebrate.

"Azu, we did it," Tori cried. "Steelflower's got its first gig!"

She high-fived Azusa a bit too energetically, and the guitarist winced at the impact.

"Ow! Watch the hands. They're worth money now."

It wasn't particularly witty, but the two delighted women giggled anyway.

"We're going to have to insure those golden fingers of yours," Tori joked. "Hey, we need to celebrate. Would the 'loli' like to join the 'well-endowed idol type' for dinner and drinks?"

Even though the "loli" reference made her roll her eyes, Azusa couldn't keep from smiling.

"Geez, I wanted to die when she said that. But yeah, we don't have Saturday school tomorrow, so let's do it. We should get everyone together. How about we get a private room at Mai Hanano, that seafood place over by Kitano station?"

Tori patted her stomach appreciatively.

"I like the way you think, Azusa-sama. Suddenly, I'm starved for prawn tempura. How about I call for the reservation? I'll call the '_genki_ girl' after that, and you can call the 'emo _meganekko'_ and tell her to pass it on to the 'hot, blonde foreign chick'."

"You're having entirely too much fun with those descriptions," Azusa chuckled. "Okay, sounds like a plan. I need to call Yui, too. She's waiting to find out what happened. She'll want to come along, but that might cause a stir. She's kind of…popular."

"So I noticed. Tell her to wear a disguise, then. Don't celebrities do that sort of thing?"

Suddenly, Azusa wanted very much to see Yui again. Her song had contributed to Steelflower landing its new gig, and it was only right that she share in the band's celebration.

"You're right. She's worn disguises before. Besides, there's no way I could tell her not to join us, even if I wanted to. Tell the restaurant we need a private room for six."

* * *

_4/29/2016, 6:11 pm  
__Jun's Room, Suzuki Residence, Katakuramachi 510-18, Hachiōji_

The LED glow flickered through Jun's cramped, four-tatami bedroom, the only source of light in the gathering dusk. The normally-pigtailed woman, her dyed-chestnut hair now an unrestrained, frizzy mop, laid on her stomach on the pile of throw pillows, clad only in a ragged pair of panties and a set of high-end headphones. She rested her chin on her folded arms as she gazed intently at the screen of the laptop on the floor in front of her.

The soundtrack to the video clip she was watching pumped through the headphones into her ears, and from there, deeply into her consciousness. Captivated by the strong mezzo-soprano of the lead vocalist, she lost herself in the performance.

_[…Remind me that we'll always have each other  
__When everything else is gone…]_

She didn't understand a word of the lyrics, and didn't care. Although she could have looked up the Japanese translation online, that wasn't the point. What she really wanted was simply to watch the woman perform.

As Tori strummed chords on her Martin electric-acoustic, Jun gazed at her electronic image, mesmerized. Her eyes noted every detail: the flare of Tori's waist, the gentle curve of her hips, the swell of her ample chest, and the way her hair laid damply against her forehead, matted down by sweat generated by the heat of the spotlight and the effort of her performance. But most of all, she was drawn by Tori's eyes. They were the guitarist's secret weapon against Jun, although the bassist doubted Tori realized it.

It was a process Jun had repeated many times over the past month, clip after clip and day after day, and as had happened every time before, the mere sight of Tori singing left her trembling with desire. At the same time, with every glance at the beautiful guitarist, she felt jagged spikes of hopelessness tearing through her. It was the exquisite misery of a woman deeply in love with the unattainable, but who refused to give up hope, or rather couldn't.

The clip ended. Jun was tempted to play it again, but decided against it. Instead, she pulled off the headphones and set them aside, then laid her head on her arms, staring vacantly in the general direction of the far wall.

_Video clips aren't enough, _she complained to herself._ I need to be in the same room with her. To hear her voice for real. To be close enough to reach out and touch her, even if I don't dare to._

She considered calling Tori to set up their usual Friday evening meet-up, but then remembered her friend was supposed to be going with Azusa to meet with Kawakami Janice about a potential gig. _I'll call you when I'm done,_ Tori had texted. With a sigh, Jun realized there was nothing for it but to wait. So she lay there on the pile of pillows, willing the time to pass, and wondering if she was setting herself up for heartbreak.

_There's got to be something there. I see the way that she looks at me sometimes…or am I just imagining it? Maybe it's wishful thinking. She's still with that guy, and she can't seem to let him go, even though from the way she talks about him it's all but dead. Even if they broke up, she'd still refuse me, because she says she won't date anyone in the same band. _

She pounded a fist into one of the throw pillows in frustration.

_I wonder…does she know how I really feel? Can she guess how much I love her? The way she acts, I think she thinks I'm just teasing her, and that I only want to sleep with her. It's not like that. Not at all. But when I try to say something I really mean, like how pretty her eyes are, she just shrugs it off. I guess I've done so much flirting that she doesn't take me seriously anymore. I want to tell her how I feel, but I don't want her to laugh at me. I'm such a coward._

She took a deep shuddering breath that was almost a sob, and exhaled slowly, trying to control her racing heartbeat.

_I can't hide behind jokes and teasing much longer. How did I get in this deep after just one month? I'm desperate. No, I'm obsessed._

She rolled over onto her back, closing her eyes, not bothering to fight the fantasy as it began to unfold in her mind. She imagined the soft fullness of Tori's breasts pressing tightly against her own, and could almost feel her hands gliding over the smooth skin of Tori's back as she murmured words that were meant only for the woman in her arms to hear.

…_I want to touch you…and I need to feel your hands on me…_

Her fingers began to dance gently across her naked abs. In her mind, they were Tori's fingers, and their touch on her skin felt like trails of fire.

…_I want to give myself to you…to belong to you…_

Slowly, deliberately, her hands moved higher and higher until they reached her breasts. She hissed with pleasure as her thumbs flicked lightly across her nipples, which promptly stiffened from the attention.

…_I want you to love me, the way I love you…_

She cupped the aching mounds, pretending it was Tori's hands palming and squeezing them rather than her own. As the resulting bolts of pleasure exploded in her brain, her breath hitched, and she felt the heat between her legs rise sharply. Unable to wait any longer, she slipped her right hand under the waistband of her panties, repeating to herself over and over the name of the woman who was the focus of her desire.

_Tori…oh, Tori…_

Before her fingers could reach their intended destination, however, the tight harmony and jagged guitar chords of B'z's _Sayonara kizu-darake no hibi yo_ – Tori's ring tone – blasted through the room, obliterating the fantasy in an instant. With a startled gasp, Jun tore her hands from her body.

The moment she recognized the tune, her frustration at being interrupted was immediately canceled out by the surge of joy she felt at the prospect of hearing Tori's voice. Rolling off the throw pillows, she scrambled hurriedly on her hands and knees across the floor mats in the direction of the sound. After a brief but totally panicked search, she found her phone in the pocket of her jeans.

"Hello?" she panted. "Tori?"

"Hey, Pigtails-chan! You sound out of breath…"

The guitarist's tone turned smug.

"…don't tell me I interrupted something, um, private."

Still a bit disoriented by the interruption, Jun was about to say she hadn't until she realized that Tori had given her a perfect opening. There was no way she was going to let the remark pass. She decided to use the nuclear option. _What the hell, _she thought. _She won't take it seriously, anyway, and it'll serve her right to mess with the Queen of Tease._

"As a matter of fact, you did," she purred. "I was lying here in nothing but my panties, touching myself, pretending my fingers were yours."

There was a long moment of dead air, followed by a burst of annoyed English from the phone's earpiece. Jun wasn't sure exactly what Tori said, but she was pretty sure at least one of the words was considered impolite by most English-speakers.

"_[Oh, you are so full of shit!]"_

Jun grinned, having gotten the reaction she wanted. She decided to add insult to injury.

"Speak Japanese, barbarian."

"Arrgh! You're impossible!" Despite Tori's seeming frustration, Jun could hear a reluctant smile in her voice.

"You know you love it. What would you do without me to entertain you?"

"Probably live a lot longer. Anyway, we've got no time for this. I have news."

Suddenly, Jun remembered the meeting at Live Passion.

"Oh, yeah, the pitch to Kawakami-san. What news? Good news?"

"The most awesome news possible," Tori exulted. "We got a gig. Not just Amateur Night, either. A regular, paying gig."

Jun almost dropped her phone.

"No way! Seriously?"

"Seriously. And we're going to celebrate. How soon can you get over to Mai Hanano? Azu and I will give you the details when you get here."

"Give me 20 minutes. I need to change into something decent."

Since she was going to need a clean pair of panties, it wasn't strictly a lie. Still, she had to suppress a giggle as she thought about what Tori would say if she knew the whole truth.

"Fair enough. The private room's in my name. I have to call Okuda-san now, so…"

Jun realized Tori was about to hang up, but she was so excited by the good news about the band's new gig, and so glad to hear Tori's voice, that she wasn't ready to let go of the shared moment, even though they were going to see each other soon.

"Tori, wait."

"Hmm?"

"I just wanted to say…"

… _that it's a privilege to play in the same band as you. That I couldn't bring myself to play Budokan if we didn't do it together. That your phone call made my day. That I want so badly to see you right now. That I love you more deeply than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. But I'm not sure how you'd react, or even if you'd want to hear any of it._

"Wanted to say what?" Tori prompted.

"…um…that I'm glad I met you."

There was a brief silence before Tori responded.

"I'm glad we met, too, Pigtails-chan. But why so serious all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. I guess I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about how everything good in my life seems to be connected to you somehow. Steelflower is one of those good things. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be playing in a bar band in Minato. Now, I'm starting to think my dreams might actually become reality."

"Mine, too. You and I will get to Budokan together, you'll see. This is our first step. But hey, why are we talking about this on the phone? Get your so-called shapely butt over here and tell me all these nice things to my face. Besides, I can't celebrate this without you."

"Of course you can't," Jun smiled. "You need me around to keep telling you how you're so talented, gorgeous, sexy, and desirable…you know, to feed that inflated ego you lead vocalists all seem to have."

"Oh, geez. Just get over here, Pigtails-chan. I'll save you a seat next to mine."

The line went dead, but Jun barely noticed. Tori's words were still echoing in her mind. They had both committed to chasing Azusa's dream of playing Budokan, but it was the first time that Tori had spoken of it was a shared journey for the two of them. Jun chose to take it as a sign that the two had moved still closer as friends. It wasn't much, but it was encouraging, and at that point Jun was willing to cling to any ray of hope she could find.

With that, she decided she'd done enough deep thinking for one day. In less than five minutes, she had her hair back in pigtails and was dressed in a button-down blouse and slacks. There would be no braless crop-top look tonight, because this was a special occasion. Her goal was not to tease Tori, but to enjoy her company and celebrate the band's new engagement with her. After a quick look in the mirror, she headed out the door to the electric train station.

There was no time to lose. Tori had called for her, and Jun was not about to keep her waiting.

* * *

**A/N:**

− Thanks go to my trusty editor and creative partner Musician74 for beta-reading this chapter. She tells me she had a lot of fun with this one, because "epic Jun is epic."

− The English lyrics in the first scene are from Superchunk's _Crossed Wires_ (YouTube clip 3dwxL7YOFPI; _Warning – video is both weird and NSFW!_), and those in the third scene are from Incubus' _Dig_ (clip nMsZ6wkZWhA). I didn't write these lyrics, and the rights belong to their owners. The lyrics for the song _Answer_ are quoted directly from Houkago Translations' English scanlation of Volume 6, Chapter 5 of the _K-On!_ manga; I own neither the translated lyrics (which belong to Houkago Translations) nor the original Japanese version (which is the property of Kakifly and Hōbunsha). All other lyrics are original.

− The name Live Passion is taken from the sign that appears over the doorway of the club where HTT plays their New Year's Eve appearance in Season 1, Episode 14 of the anime.

− The official video of _Sayonara kizu-darake no hibi yo_ (Jun's ring tone for Tori), performed by legendary j-rock duo B'z, can be found on YouTube as clip CG8nfSdyfEk.

− The first one to find the _Metalocalypse _reference gets a virtual cookie. **_EDIT, 10/28/2012:_** The cookie goes to Anonymous Gun Nut, who caught the reference in Janice's comment about rock bands with DJs.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	6. Chapter 6: Unexpected

**A/N:**

_**WARNING! This story is rated M **_because of the strong lesbian theme throughout, and because there are occasional explicit depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative (although not in every chapter). Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

_**NOTE ON FORMATTING:**_ Even though this story is written in English, the characters' default language is understood to be Japanese. [Bracketed text like this denotes that the words or thoughts are either spoken or thought in English.] Internal monologue, electronic communications, and song lyrics are _italicized_.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Unexpected**

_4/30/2016, 8:49 am  
__Tori's Apartment, Katakuramachi 440-1-6, Hachiōji_

Tori leaned against the edge of her tiny kitchenette counter, sipping a mug of warm miso soup, and trying to avoid the glare of the sunlight leaking around the window shades. The over-the-counter hangover cure, which she'd bought earlier that morning after practically crawling to the convenience store, had begun to ease most of her symptoms, and the soup was helping with the rest. With a sigh of relief, she took another swallow, happy to wash away the lingering aftertaste of the medicine.

She hadn't planned on drinking that much, but she and the others were so excited over Steelflower being signed to play at Live Passion that things had just sort of spiraled. It didn't help that Yui had insisted on paying for everything, and took it upon herself to order refills every time anyone's glass looked empty. The celebration had sloshed its way through a long dinner, and then onward into several boozy hours of karaoke. It was Tori's first real exposure to Japanese drinking culture, and now she was paying the inevitable price for having had several plum wine coolers too many.

As she was considering whether or not to crawl back into her futon and hide under the covers until the pulse stopped hammering in her temples, the cell phone on the nearby counter began to beep rapidly, signaling an incoming text. Normally, the sound wasn't that intrusive, but at that precise moment it sounded to Tori as if one of Nao's samples was blasting through a stack of concert speakers.

"[Not so loud!]"

She immediately felt foolish not only for scolding an inanimate object, but also for doing so out loud and in English. Grabbing the offending device, she jabbed at the button with her finger to silence the beeping, then brought the message up on screen. As expected, it was from Jun, and was her reply to a message Tori had sent earlier.

_Awake but want to die. Can barely open my eyes. Need sympathy. Call me?_

Knowing it was 90 percent melodrama and ten percent legitimate complaint, Tori burst into laughter, but instantly regretted it as the pounding in her head briefly intensified. Pushing the discomfort aside, she thought seriously about calling Jun right then. _[Misery loves company], as the saying goes,_ she reasoned. _At least we could suffer together._

Jun had been in the worst shape of the six of them, but even as the bassist got progressively drunker, Tori had been surprised at her behavior. She'd expected that intoxication would turn her pig-tailed friend into a lecherous, groping octopus, but that hadn't happened. Of course, Jun was as flirty as ever, but this time there was a lot less sexual innuendo and a lot more about how beautiful and desirable Tori was. _You're like a goddess to be worshiped,_ the bassist had declared. And she had gotten much clingier than usual as the night wore on.

Sober-Tori would have been embarrassed by this sort of behavior, but drunk-Tori found herself actively encouraging both Jun's compliments and her affectionate touches, because it literally had been years since she had been treated like that by someone she was so attracted to. It felt right to her, not only because she was having long-ignored emotional needs met, but also because it was Jun meeting them. Jackson certainly had never made her feel like that; on his best days, he was about as romantic as a policeman writing a traffic ticket. So for drunk-Tori, the attention had been like water on parched earth. Luckily, Jun had not made any real advances, because Tori was pretty sure her inebriated self would not have been able to refuse them.

In the unforgiving light of the morning after, however, hung-over-Tori was even more confused about the state of her and Jun's friendship. Actually, she decided that frustrated was a better word, because there was really no confusion about where they stood, at least in Tori's mind. Even discounting the influence of the alcohol, the previous evening had revealed to her that no matter how hard she fought the feelings, she could no longer deny that she wanted Jun as much as Jun wanted her. In a perfect world, that would have been easy to deal with: confess to each other amid a shower of rainbows and unicorns. But the situation wasn't that simple. She and Jun couldn't be together, no matter how much the two of them wanted it. In Tori's view, there were too many obstacles to overcome.

One of those obstacles, of course, was Jackson, although Tori's intuition told her that wasn't going to be the case for much longer. To all appearances, they seemed to have everything going for them as an attractive, high-achieving couple, but under the surface, their relationship had been in serious trouble for months. They both knew it, but neither wanted to be the one to admit defeat. It was like a sports contest where one team had an insurmountable lead and the game was merely being played out to satisfy the rules. They were supposed to be video chatting at 11:00 – it was the reason she wasn't still trying to sleep off the effects of the previous night – but at this point, Tori wondered why they were even bothering to go through with it.

_We're kidding ourselves,_ she groaned inwardly. _Our relationship's a joke. Since he went to law school, he's changed so much. Somewhere along the line he lost his sense of humor and started taking life way too seriously…he's definitely not the same guy I fell in love with two years ago. I should just break it off and be done with it._

She wondered why she hadn't ended things before she'd left for Japan. Maybe it was because of all the time they'd both invested. Maybe she thought if there was some distance between them, they'd see the value in each other and find a way to meet in the middle on all the things they didn't agree on, and when she returned to the States they'd be able to move forward as a couple. Or maybe that was all just her idealism talking, and in reality she was a coward who was simply afraid of being alone. She hated to admit it, but that cowardice was most likely the real reason she'd chosen to stay with Jackson.

With a sigh, she looked at her cell phone display again. There wasn't enough time to call Jun after all, so Tori texted her that she'd call later and tried to make herself as presentable as she could, given that she was hung over. Precisely at 11:00, she opened the chat window and clicked on the "call with video" button. After a few seconds, her webcam light flashed, and a window displaying Jackson's face popped up on the laptop screen.

She scanned his handsome, fair-skinned features, noting that he looked better rested than usual, and that he'd recently had his sandy-blond hair cut. Right away, however, she noticed something was wrong, because his ice-blue eyes wouldn't meet hers. Jackson wasn't exactly the light-hearted type, but that never stopped him from greeting her pleasantly. This time, however, he wasn't smiling. He looked troubled, almost reluctant.

"[Hey, Tori.]"

"[Good afternoon, Counselor,]" she replied, trying and failing to lighten the atmosphere. Jackson chuckled, but there was no humor in it.

"[What is this, a TV courtroom drama? You watch too many of those.]"

Tori felt like saying she didn't have time to watch _any_ television, let alone a particular genre of program, but decided it would be counterproductive. The remark would only earn her a lecture about how tough it was to be a law student.

"[Sorry. I guess it was a bad joke.]"

"[Terrible. And what's the deal? You look hung over. I guess you were partying with your pal June again, huh? Must be nice to have all that free time.]"

Tori gritted her teeth. She knew he spent plenty of time with his own friends, despite all the whining about his law school workload. She resisted the urge to call him a hypocrite.

"[It's _Jun_. And yes, she and I and the other girls were out celebrating last night. The band just got signed to its first gig.]"

"[Good for you.]"

The words contained no hint of actual congratulations. They were intended as a dismissal, and Tori knew it.

"['Good for you'? That's it? This is kind of a big deal, Jack. You know how important music is to me. Would it hurt you to be happy for me, just this once?]"

It looked like they were heading toward yet another of the arguments that had been a regular feature of their recent chats. Because of her hangover, Tori was far from in the mood to head it off. To her surprise, however, Jackson didn't immediately react to what she said the way he usually did. Instead, he took a deep breath, apparently searching for words. When he spoke, his voice was tight.

"[Tori…I'm sorry. Please, let's not fight. There's something important I need to tell you. Oh, God, there's no easy way to say this, but I might as well come right out with it. I…I think we need to see other people.]"

It was one of those "oh, by the way" bombshells that would hit most women like a lightning strike. To her surprise, however, Tori took it calmly, as if she'd just heard Jackson make a routine comment about the weather. She suspected it was because, deep inside, she'd been expecting something like this for weeks. Jackson had had his share of admirers while they were dating, girls who made no secret they wanted to be in Tori's place. She wondered which one of them had made finally made the move, now that she was out of the way.

"[Have I met her?]"

"[No,]" Jackson quickly replied. "[She's a senior at Stanford. And we're not dating. I haven't gone for it, because you and I are still together, and…um, you know I could never cheat on you…uh, but…]"

"[…you want to break up with me to go out with her?]" Tori interrupted. "[It's okay, Jack. I guess I can understand that.]"

_At least he had the decency to want to end things with me before he slept with her,_ she thought. _And thank God it's not someone I know. That would have made it harder._

For the first time during the video chat, Jackson's eyes met hers, and she saw the disappointment and hurt in them.

"[I'm really sorry, Tori. I didn't want it to come to this. When you left for Japan, I think we both knew it was over, although the two of us were too much in denial to admit it. To be honest, I thought about ending it then, but I wanted to believe that you'd come home to me someday. Then you joined that band, and suddenly I started hearing all about this new friend of yours, June…]"

"[Jun,]" Tori corrected for the second time.

"[Right, Jun,]" Jackson echoed. "[Sorry. Anyway, her name started coming up constantly, and every time it did, you got this look in your eye. A man knows he's beaten when he sees that look. How would you feel if I was bi, and started spending all my time with a gay friend I just couldn't stop talking about? You're in love with her. It's so obvious.]"

There was no rancor in Jackson's voice, only sadness and regret. The look on his face was so painful to Tori that her words caught in her throat. All she could do was shake her head.

"[Yes, you are,]" Jackson insisted. "[I know you, and you can't hide your feelings from me. You probably won't believe this, but I'm not angry. I've got a lot of emotions running through me right now, but anger isn't one of them. Sure, I was angry at first, but then I got to thinking that maybe Jun was some sort of signal to the two of us. You know, to give up the fight.]"

"[There's nothing between Jun and me,]" Tori finally managed. "[There probably never will be, but I'd rather not go into that. Even if there was, I wouldn't cheat on you, Jack, just like you wouldn't do that to me. We have too much shared history.]"

Jackson shook his head. He looked a little lost.

"[We're quite a pair, aren't we? Where did we go wrong?]"

Tori hesitated. She knew exactly why their relationship had unraveled. Jackson had a vision of their future that she didn't share, one where he worked at a high-power law firm while she drove their kids to and from soccer practice in a hybrid mini-van. In Jackson's world, there was no room for Tori to play in a rock band, because that would keep her from fitting in with the other lawyers' wives, and he wouldn't make partner because of that. To him, playing in a band was something to be gotten out of Tori's system before she moved on to adulthood. But to Tori, this all sounded more like a prison sentence than a happily-ever-after. However, there was no point to tearing open old wounds by bringing any of this up, because they'd already argued over it many times and gotten nowhere. Instead, Tori thought it was better to speak in generalities.

"[We grew apart, Jack, and we have different life goals now. That's pretty much the story.]"

"[Yeah, I guess you're right. Hey, Tori?]"

His eyes took on just a hint of pleading.

"[Hmm?]"

"[Are you ever coming back? From Japan, I mean.]"

The question came out of nowhere, and she wasn't prepared for it. Unable to answer, she merely stared back at him. After a moment, he shrugged.

"[Never mind. Forget I asked. I guess this it, then?]"

Suddenly, Tori felt the tears stinging her eyes. It wasn't so much the grief over the death of the relationship itself, which had actually come as a relief, she was forced to admit. What hurt far worse was the hollow feeling of failure, a failure that was as much her fault as it was Jackson's. She fought to contain herself, reasoning that she needed to send Jackson off with a smile, at least. After two years, she felt she owed him that much.

"[I guess, so. For what it's worth, we had a lot of good times, Jack. I'm sorry that it's come to this. I really am.]"

"[Don't apologize,]" Jackson insisted. "[It's both our faults, and neither of our faults. It just is what it is.]"

In the face of her rising emotions, Tori managed a watery smile.

"[You sound just like a lawyer.]"

Jackson had nothing to offer in reply to her attempted jest; he appeared finally to have run out of words to say. It was up to Tori to break the silence, which she did, choking the words out.

"[Good luck, Jack.]"

Jackson's eyes met hers for one final time, and Tori knew he was taking a last look before letting go and moving on.

"[I know you'll find happiness,]" he finally replied. "[I'm just sorry it couldn't be with me. Take care of yourself, Tori.]"

The chat window disappeared, and she sat numbly for a few moments in the glow of the laptop screen before the tears began to flow in earnest. She crawled back onto her futon and buried her head in her pillow, allowing the pent-up emotions to pour out.

When there were no more tears left, and the sobs had died away, she lay there listlessly, her thoughts heavy with regret. Everything in life had come so easily to her except relationships, and the one with Jackson, like the four others she'd been in since she was 15, had ended in dismal failure. It was depressing to contemplate, and the remnants of the headache and nausea from her hangover only added to the misery.

Once again, the rapid beeping of her cell phone broke the heavy silence. It was another text from Jun.

_Tori, where are you? Are you all right? Call me!_

Suddenly, Tori had an overpowering urge to talk to the bassist. The break-up with Jackson had left her self-esteem in shreds, and she desperately needed to feel as though she had worth as a human being. At the very least, she knew she could count on Jun for that. Her devoted friend Pigtails-chan had gone through break-ups herself; she would understand, and she would be the one to cheer Tori up.

She was about to touch her phone's screen to initiate the call, but she held back at the last moment. How was Jun going to take the news that she was single? More than likely, the bassist would now feel justified in pursuing her openly. Tori wasn't at all sure she'd be able to resist for long, or even that she wanted to, and that was a problem. With her track record of failure in relationships, Tori figured there would be a break-up sooner rather than later, and that would probably mean one of them would wind up leaving the band, ruining the rare chemistry that the five of them had built in such a short time. She couldn't do that to Azusa and the others. If it meant holding back her feelings for the sake of Steelflower, then it couldn't be helped.

She decided to ignore all that for the time being, and let things sort themselves out later. Right then, what she needed the most was to hear a friendly voice. Jun's voice.

She tapped at the phone's screen. Jun picked up on the first ring.

"Hello, Tori? Geez, why didn't you call? Too busy letting your fingers run wild again?"

The bassist sounded tired, but otherwise she was her usual teasing self. Tori played along, grateful for the momentary distraction.

"Hey, Pigtails-chan. And, no, you pervert, you're the one who shoves her hands down her own panties, not me."

"Ouch. I give up. My head hurts too much to battle wits with you. So…are you feeling as bad as I am right now?"

Just hearing Jun talk was enough to lift Tori's spirits and make her feel as if things were on their way back to normal. She managed a genuine smile for the first time since the beginning of her conversation with Jackson.

"It's not been an easy morning, and not just because of the hangover. Which I still haven't quite shaken off, by the way."

Jun groaned sympathetically.

"That sucks. I took some of that liquid stuff for it. Guh. Tasted like rotten seaweed, but I'm a lot better than I was. So what's going on that's making the hangover worse?"

Tori decided to take a direct approach, knowing Jun wouldn't find it forward.

"I just got off video chat with Jackson. We broke up."

"Oh, my God."

"Actually, he broke up with me so he could date someone else."

Tori could almost feel concern flowing through the receiver.

"Geez, Tori, are you all right? No, you're not all right, I can tell. I wish I was there right now."

Tori found herself wishing Jun was there, as well. Even so, she was reluctant to burden the bassist with the details, or to make her worry any further. She tried to keep her tone light, but wasn't sure she succeeded.

"I'm doing better than you'd think. I've told you before that our relationship was pretty much dying, so it really wasn't a surprise. More of a relief. That doesn't mean I'm happy about the way it ended, though. I'm second-guessing myself, wondering what I could have done different, feeling like a failure, that sort of thing."

There was a pause on the other end of the line.

"Stop talking like that," Jun ordered. "You're _not_ a failure. These things happen. I know what you need: company. That, and a bowl of ramen. And it's funny, because I happen to need the same things. Why don't we meet at our usual place in about 30?"

Tori thought that sounded like the best idea she'd heard in about 48 hours.

"Are you sure? You don't sound so hot. Shouldn't you rest up before we head into the city later?"

"Don't worry about me," Jun replied in her usual breezy manner. "I'll make it work, because we need to do this. We'll eat noodles, and I'll listen while you talk. That'll be a switch, won't it? Hey, you know what I just realized? I'm getting two non-dates with you in a single day. Things are definitely looking up."

Tori suppressed a laugh.

"Don't let it go to your head," she pretended to scoff. "See you in 30, Pigtails-chan."

* * *

_4/30/2016, 7:06 pm  
__O-Nest, Maruyama-cho 2-3, Shibuya Ward, Tōkyō_

The ride from Hachiōji to Shibuya was a lively one. From her vantage point snuggled close to Yui, Azusa had been content to watch the show as her girlfriend and Jun bantered back and forth. Tori had been strangely subdued at the beginning of the ride, but through Jun's persistent efforts, she was soon engaging in her usual repartee with the pigtailed bassist as Yui egged them on at every turn. Azusa felt no real need to join in, preferring to enjoy the security of Yui's arm around her.

Eventually, the limo made its way down the off-ramp from Metropolitan Expressway 3 and into the Maruyama District of Shibuya. The streets were jammed with pedestrians enjoying the cool evening weather as they headed to the numerous clubs and restaurants in the area. It took a while because of the crowds, but the limo finally pulled to a stop two blocks west of O-Nest. Yui removed her arm from around Azusa, pulled out her cell phone, and tapped at the screen.

"Hey Sawa-chan, it's Yui…in front of that parking deck a couple blocks over…I'm letting them off now. We're going to wait five minutes for them to get inside, then pull around to the entrance…yeah, I'm going to talk to the reporters, but remember, no questions, okay? I don't want to hold up Akira-chan's show…hey, you told them it's just me tonight, right? You should probably make sure they know the other girls couldn't make it…yeah…okay, see you in a bit."

She tapped at her phone to disconnect the call, then caught Jun's eye.

"Okay, guys, here's where you get off."

Jun nudged Tori.

"She means us."

The bassist pulled a compact digital camera from the pocket of her jeans, and handed it to the American, who eyed it dubiously.

"Time to go to work. You're my photographer for the night. You have until we get to O-Nest to figure out how to work that thing. It's so simple, even a vocalist can use it. Oh, and I almost forgot this."

Jun reached into another pocket and pulled out a pair of lime-green media passes bearing the O-Nest logo. After clipping one to her t-shirt, she reached over and gently attached the other to Tori's.

"Don't lose that," she ordered. "It gets us in the front door, and into the media room so we can get free food and drinks."

Tori stared at her in disbelief.

"Geez, Pigtails-chan. 'I'll pay for everything,' you said. You knew it was going to be free the whole time! And now you're even going to make me work for it. What a jerk!"

Azusa shook her head, unable to keep from smirking at the annoyed look on Tori's face.

"How does this surprise you? I mean, this is Jun we're talking about."

Jun ignored Azusa's dig, opting instead to try to appease Tori with puppy-dog eyes.

"I also said it'd be a blast for us to go together," she protested. "That prediction still stands. Come on, Tori, don't be like this. You finally get to see what being a rock musician is like from the media's point of view. And you get to take pictures of one of the best."

She nodded toward Yui. Tori, who apparently had only been pretending to be annoyed, could no longer keep a straight face.

"Geez, Pigtails-chan, when you look at me that way…okay, you win."

"I'll make sure to smile extra wide for you, okay?" Yui assured them. "But we're on a tight schedule, so you need to get going before Sawa-chan has a fit."

"Come on, then," Jun urged, opening the limo door and motioning for Tori to follow. "If you want to test that camera along the way, feel free to take pictures of my butt. I mean, you're always staring at it, anyway, so why not?"

"You flatter yourself, and besides, it won't fit in the view-finder," Tori joked, prompting Jun to stick out her tongue and pull one of her lower eyelids downward.

Once the door closed behind them, Yui and Azusa both giggled simultaneously.

"They act just like a couple, don't they?" the brunette observed. "I didn't realize they were quite this close."

Although Yui knew in general terms that something was going on between Jun and Tori, Azusa had shielded her from the details of the complicated friendship, more to protect her band mates' privacy than anything else. Even so, she didn't mind telling Yui what she hoped would happen between the two women.

"They're not a couple, but if we're lucky, they will be before too long."

"What do you mean, 'If we're lucky'?" Yui frowned.

"If they don't wind up getting together, it's going to be bad for the band. Think of it this way: if I had refused your confession, would you have wanted to play in the same band as me?"

Yui thought it through for a moment.

"Yeah, I would, because you're pretty much the center of my existence. Even if you didn't love me the same way, I'd still choose to stay so I could be close to you. It would be hard for both of us, though."

Azusa smiled at Yui's passing declaration of devotion, but chose to stay on topic.

"Yes, it would be hard. That's my point. I'm worried about them, Yui. I see the frustration in Jun's eyes, even though she tries to hide it. If Tori refuses her, she might quit. Of course, Jun's got to get around to asking first. And there's the issue of Tori's boyfriend. I know that something happened with him this morning, but Tori won't say what. Jun won't make a move until he's out of the picture, at least."

Yui gave her shoulder an encouraging pat.

"That's my Azunyan, worrying over her friends. You shouldn't fret, though. I can see how much they care for each other when they're together. It'll work out, you'll see. I just have this feeling."

Even though Yui wasn't known for being perceptive about such things, Azusa hoped her intuition was on the mark in this case. If it wasn't, Steelflower's journey to Budokan might be derailed before its first public performance.

After consulting her cell phone, Yui knocked on the window separating them from the chauffeur and gestured for him to drive them to the live house entrance. He nodded, and as the limo began to move, the brunette reached out and took Azusa's hand.

"Are you nervous?"

Azusa shrugged.

"I've done this kind of thing with you before. But yeah, it's still a little intimidating. The more famous you get, the more attention you get. It's a bit overwhelming sometimes."

"Better get used to it, Azunyan. Someday, you'll be doing this for yourself. For now, just stick with me as usual. If you get any media questions, I'll just direct them to Sawa-chan."

"Thanks. You know how I hate dealing with that 'forgotten member' stuff."

Yui smiled that warm smile meant only for Azusa.

"You're not forgotten in my eyes, Azunyan. You never were, and never will be."

Azusa wanted to throw her arms around Yui and kiss her deeply for saying that, but as she eyed the back of the driver's head, she decided not to risk it. Instead, she gave Yui's hand a quick squeeze of gratitude.

The limo turned the corner and pulled to a stop in front of O-Nest. Through the windows, Azusa could see the line of fans waiting to get inside; it ran down the stairs from the entrance and along street as far as she could see. Tickets would have sold out even if Yui hadn't been involved, because Akira already had an excellent local reputation. However, Yui's presence had helped draw all the major media outlets, instead of just the music press, and that would get Akira much-needed national exposure. Of course, Azusa knew Yui didn't think in those terms. In her mind, she was simply doing a friend a favor.

The driver opened the side door, and Azusa stepped out first, followed by Yui. The excitement began to sweep through the people in line the moment they spotted the auburn-haired guitarist.

"Hey, that's Hirasawa-san!"

"It's Yui-san!"

"Yui-sama, over here!"

Yui turned to the waiting fans and, with a sunny smile, flashed them the victory sign. They responded with cheers, applause, and a firestorm of LED flashes from their cell phone cameras. A few people moved out of the line toward her, but security team members materialized to push them back into place. After several seconds of enthusiastically waving to the crowd, Yui turned to Azusa.

"Okay, let's go."

As they walked up the broad stairway toward the front door, Azusa stayed glued to Yui's side. Every step of the way, the brunette worked the crowd as masterfully as if she was on stage, waving to some, greeting others, and briefly shaking hands with still others. She looked born to do this sort of thing, Azusa thought, unable to keep from smiling at the sight. Eventually, they reached the main entrance, where they were met by O-Nest's manager and Sawako.

"Hirasawa-san, welcome back," the manager greeted, bowing as he mopped the sweat from his bald head. "We're always honored to have you visit."

Yui returned his bow and added a warm handshake.

"Good to see you again. You remember my important friend, Nakano Azusa-san."

"Of course. We're honored by Nakano-san's presence, as well."

Azusa was certain that he didn't have the slightest idea who she was, and that he was just making his manners to Yui, but she appreciated the polite fiction, and returned his bow with genuine gratitude. After a few further pleasantries, he excused himself, after which Yui turned toward Sawako, smiling in greeting.

"Who've we got?"

"The usual," the bespectacled band manager replied. "Camera crews from all four news networks and TV Tōkyō, entertainment reporters from the three major national newspapers, and a bunch of writers from online outlets, including _Arupejio_."

She smiled knowingly at Yui, who grinned in response.

"I already gave _Arupejio_ an exclusive."

"Just please don't say anything weird this time," Sawako pleaded. "After that little display in Hong Kong, some of these guys are starting to wonder about you. We don't need any more negative buzz."

"Don't worry, Sawa-chan, I'll be good."

The remark seemed innocent enough, but something in Yui's tone suggested that her definition of "good" was substantially different from Sawako's. With a sudden tremor of anxiety, Azusa wondered what the brunette was up to. Sawako, on the other hand, appeared to take Yui's words at face value.

"All right, then," she replied with a sigh of relief. "Oh, before I forget, take these."

After rummaging around in her purse, she produced two backstage passes. Delighted, Yui clutched them to her chest.

"Awesome! Sawa-chan, you're the best! Now Azusa and I can visit Akira-chan before the show. We'll go right after I talk to the media."

"Keep the talent happy, I always say," Sawako winked.

She led Yui and Azusa to the area in O-Nest's lobby where the press was waiting. Once the assembled reporters spotted Yui, the lights on top of five news cameras flared to life, surrounded by numerous smaller flashes. Azusa remembered to look away before the wall of light blinded her. She was going to hang back with Sawako, but to her surprise, Yui signaled that she wanted Azusa next to her as she talked, something that had never happened before. It was a bit unnerving, and as Azusa stood self-consciously next to Yui in the glare of the hot TV lights, trying to look inconspicuous, she wondered about the sudden change in her girlfriend's usual way of doing things.

"Hey, guys, how's it going?" Yui chirped, smiling brightly and waving. She got a chorus of friendly greetings in return, as well as another round of LED flashes. Azusa was well aware that although not all of the assembled writers were HTT fans, they almost universally respected Yui. She was so warm and personable that it was impossible for them not to like her, even if they were critical of her music. For that reason, most were actually glad to see her, and not merely being polite.

"I'm just going to say a few words on the record before heading backstage, okay? You all know that I've been good friends with Wada Akira-san for six years, since we first met at Japan Women's University. She's an amazing talent, and I can't believe it's taken this long for people to figure that out. I'm looking forward to hearing her play her new single live, because the recorded version…it's just amazing. I mean, it debuted in the Hot 100 for a reason, right? Anyway, you guys are in for an awesome show."

She paused, then flashed Azusa a mischievous smile. The tiny guitarist had a sudden sinking feeling when she saw that look in Yui's eye.

"Most of you know my important friend Nakano Azusa-san, who's here with me tonight," Yui continued. "She was in HTT years ago, back when we were a high school band. Say hello to the guys, Azusa-san."

Suddenly, every camera lens was focused on Azusa's face. Instead of turning and running, which was her first impulse, she mustered a weak smile.

"H-hello."

Azusa's mind raced._ What the hell is she doing? I wasn't prepared for this. I want to die. Oh, my God…she's not going to go public about our relationship, is she?_

"Azusa-san's a good friend of Akira-san's, too, and I asked her to join me tonight to cheer Akira-san on," Yui informed those listening. "When we were all at JWU together, everyone called the three of us the Guitar Goddesses, even though those two are way better than I am. I was always convinced that we'd all make it in the industry someday. Now that Akira-san's been signed by our label, we're one step closer to that happening, but we still have some unfinished business."

As Yui paused for effect, Azusa relaxed a bit, because it was obvious that this was not about their relationship after all. Her eyes briefly sought out Sawako, intending to shoot her a "what's going on?" look, but it was pointless. The beleaguered manager had her head in her hands. Azusa guessed this was one of those "weird" things Sawako had been afraid of.

"Azusa-san recently formed her own band, Steelflower," Yui continued. "It's got a really talented line-up, and it's a great showcase for Azusa-san's mad guitar skills. I'm so excited about this band that I even wrote a song for them to play called _Wings of an Angel_. It's got 'hit single' written all over it. You can hear them play it at their first performance at Live Passion in Hachiōji on May 27th. Make sure you come out and join me, because I'm going to be there to support Azusa-san, just like I'm doing for Akira-san tonight. Yamanaka-san has the details."

This took Azusa completely by surprise, and she was not the only one. There was a confused murmur from the assembled media representatives. After a brief search, Azusa finally located Jun and Tori; they were staring at each other, openmouthed, and Azusa was sure her face wore the same expression. Sawako's head remained in her hands.

A push from someone of Yui's stature in the music business was the best kind of exposure Steelflower could have asked for. Even though she had accepted Sawako's assistance to get the band a hearing with Kawakami Janice at Live Passion, Azusa had deliberately held back from asking Yui and the others for direct help with publicity, feeling it would look like she was trying to take advantage of their friendship. Of course, Yui had now rendered her reservations moot with the statement she'd just given the media. While Azusa was deeply grateful that Yui would use her influence this way, she couldn't help feeling that this was neither the time nor the place for doing so. After all, that night was supposed to be about Akira, not Steelflower.

"Anyway, guys, that's all I have," Yui cheerfully announced. "I apologize for leaving so suddenly, but I've got to get backstage before show time. If you want more, I'd be happy to do some follow-up phone interviews. You can get with Yamanaka-san to schedule one if you're interested. Enjoy the show!"

After a moment of stunned silence, the assembled reporters erupted into a cacophony of shouted questions, even though Yui had just made it clear that she wasn't fielding any. Ignoring them, the brunette smiled and waved, then immediately grabbed Azusa by the elbow and steered her away from the bedlam, leaving the frantic Sawako to deal with the storm of inquiries.

Azusa didn't say anything until the two women stood alone next to the backstage entrance. She leaned close to whisper in Yui's ear so she wasn't overheard.

"Geez, Yui, don't scare me like that. I thought you were going to tell those guys about you and me. And why did you have to spill all that stuff about Steelflower? I know you're trying to help, and I really appreciate it, but talking about it tonight wasn't fair to Akira. And what you just said put an awful lot of pressure on us. We haven't played a note in public yet, and you're talking us up to the media like we're a signed band."

Yui looked hurt.

"I know I can be random sometimes, but I'm not crazy enough to out us like that," she whispered back. "And don't worry about Akira-chan. She was already going to get great publicity no matter what I told those guys. Anyway, it was the perfect chance for me to help out you and the girls, and I just couldn't pass it up. Besides, it was no big deal. It'll cost me a half a day of online interviews and a box of fancy pastries to get Sawa-chan to forgive me, and a case of top-shelf sake to get the label's PR people off my back, but it was totally worth it. Now, everyone's going to know about my Azunyan and her band."

Her eyes met Azusa's, and the sense of purpose in them was obvious.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'll do anything to help you succeed. Anything. I believe in you, Azunyan. I believe in us."

Azusa's desire to throw herself into Yui's arms returned, but the risk of being seen was too great. Instead, she very quietly and unobtrusively took Yui's hand in hers, interlocking their fingers.

"I believe in us, too. And I'm so grateful, Yui. Really. I'll repay you for this someday, I promise."

She was rewarded with another one of Yui's special smiles. After looking around to make sure no one was watching, the brunette raised Azusa's hand, and pressed the back of it gently to her lips.

"You can repay me by sharing the Budokan stage with me."

She continued to gaze into Azusa's eyes for a long moment before letting go of her hand and turning toward the backstage door.

"Come on, Azunyan. Let's go say 'hi' to Akira-chan."

* * *

_4/30/2016, 10:36 pm  
__Chrysanthemum Room, Shinjuku Washington Hotel, Nishi-Shinjuku 3-2-9, Shinjuku Ward, Tōkyō_

"So Suzuki-san, we can count on a good review, right?"

Jun suddenly found her path blocked by one of the label's junior public relations executives. Since she was on her way back from the mini-bar with her hands full of drinks for Tori and herself, she didn't particularly want to talk to anyone from the label at that moment. However, she knew she needed to be polite to the man, because she had frequent dealings with him. Fortunately, she knew just what to say to appease him.

"Of course. Wada-san was as amazing as ever, and I'm not just saying that because she and I are old friends. I'm still writing the review in my head, but she's definitely getting a thumbs-up."

"Good," the man nodded. "She's one of our hottest acts at the moment, and it'll help to have favorable coverage."

Jun plastered on the fake smile she sometimes used when conducting business.

"You can count on it from me," she assured him, bowing as deeply as she could without spilling anything. "Now, if you'll excuse me…?"

As she glanced meaningfully at the drinks in her hand, the man raised his hands apologetically.

"Oh, right, I'm sorry. Maybe we can talk more in a while. I've got some stuff for you on some of our other acts."

"Sounds good," Jun lied. "Give me a few minutes to get settled."

She left him, and went back to searching for Tori in the sea of party-goers. It wasn't an easy task, because people were literally standing shoulder-to-shoulder. She could see Yui and Azusa near the front of the room chatting animatedly with Akira, and Sawako huddled nearby in deep discussion with Akira's boyfriend and manager, Maeda Sadao. When Jun had left her, Tori had been with Azusa and the others, but now the American was nowhere in sight.

Jun finally found her in a quiet corner, talking to a younger man she recognized as one of the members of the label's artists and repertoire staff. He was a known womanizer, and from his body language, Jun could tell he was turning on the charm. Worse, Tori seemed to be enjoying it. The sight sparked a reaction in the bassist that she was unfamiliar with: a flash of jealousy. The feeling itself was no surprise; after all, what woman wouldn't be jealous if the object of her affection appeared to be flirting with a rival? The thing that caught Jun off guard, however, was the intensity of the feeling. It left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Steeling her resolve, she walked up to the two of them, smiled the same fake smile she'd used earlier on the man from PR, and cut right into their conversation. It was impolite, but she was in no mood to worry about etiquette.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she announced brightly, handing Tori one of the glasses she was carrying. "Here's your diet cola."

As the guitarist nodded her thanks, Jun locked eyes with her bemused companion. There was just a hint of menace in her voice.

"It's been a while. I hate to interrupt you while you're on the hunt, but you can cross this one off your list. She's with me tonight."

The man suddenly looked uncomfortable, which meant he had taken Jun's hint.

"Wow, um…sorry, Suzuki-san. I didn't know. Uh…well, it was nice meeting you, Takeda-san."

"Likewise," Tori replied.

Clearly at a loss, he looked from one woman to the other, then shrugged and turned away. If Jun's eyes were lasers, they would have bored holes into his back as he walked off. As she stared after him, she heard a chuckle.

"Thanks. He was pretty persistent, and I was going to need help getting rid of him. Pigtails-chan to the rescue."

Jun glared at her.

"Well, geez, you didn't have to look like you were enjoying it so much. This is what happens when I leave you alone for five minutes. He was totally staring at your boobs, too. That really pissed me off."

Tori's look of surprise was quickly replaced by a smug grin.

"Why, Pigtails-chan, I do believe you're jealous."

_You're damned right I'm jealous. I can't bear the thought of anyone else's hands on you but mine. _

Realizing that it was better not to say those words aloud, Jun decided to try to laugh it off.

"And what if I am? You're here with me, remember? We're on a non-date."

"Yeah, a non-date between non-girlfriends."

Frustrated by Tori's seeming need to remind her of that at every turn, Jun ground her teeth, but chose to let the comment pass in favor of changing the subject.

"Hey, what do you think of Akira?"

"She's something else, isn't she?" Tori smirked. "Like you said, she's pretty rough around the edges."

Jun snickered at her assessment.

"Yeah, except for when her boyfriend talks to her. Then she uses feminine pronouns and turns into a blushing maiden. It's hysterical to watch. 'Whatever you say, Sadao-kun.'"

Tori giggled at Jun's mimicry of the hard-nosed guitarist.

"Yeah, that's pretty funny. But her show…that wasn't funny at all. She's really good, Jun. I spent most of the time comparing myself to her, and I wasn't coming out ahead. She's so talented that it made me feel like I was back in junior high again."

Jun was about to say that she felt the same way when she spotted the PR representative from earlier. He had a colleague with him this time, and when he made eye contact with Jun, he immediately headed toward her. She sighed.

"Sorry, Tori, these label guys don't take the hint. Looks like I'm going to have to play rock critic again."

"Can't be helped, I guess," Tori smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll go back to hanging out with Azu."

Jun couldn't resist sneaking a look at the shapely guitarist's retreating rear end, admiring the way she filled out her jeans, and speculating on the glories that lay under the fabric. After a moment, however, she forced herself to focus. Because of her ties to Akira, she was the only media member invited to this party, and her magazine expected her to justify her presence at their expense by gathering as much information as she could. Even if she longed to spend every second with Tori, it wasn't going to be possible.

It took Jun nearly a half hour to get away from the PR executives. As soon as she was able to escape, she headed to where Tori was supposed to be: with Azusa, Yui, and Akira. As Jun approached them, she noticed Tori wasn't there, but before she could ask where her friend had gone, she was greeted in typical Akira style.

"Well, it's about time you came back, dammit!"

Jun regarded the guest of honor with amusement.

"Thanks, Akira-san, I missed you, too. Sorry for being gone for so long, but I was working the room, telling everyone how wonderful you are."

"See?" Yui chimed in. "That's just what I told you she was doing!"

"Oh, just cut the bullshit, you guys!" Akira huffed, although she couldn't keep a small smile from breaking through the bluster. Jun decided to ignore the posturing. It was just the tough-talking guitarist's backhanded way of expressing affection. In any case, she didn't intend to spend any time baiting Akira, as she usually would. She had a more pressing issue to deal with.

"Hey, have you guys seen Tori?"

"She was right here for a while," Yui shrugged. "Then she got to talking to someone. He's not one of the label guys, so I didn't recognize him."

Akira groaned.

"Oh, God, Yui, do you ever use that head of yours for anything besides taking up space? For crying out loud, I just introduced him to you guys. He works with Sadao-kun, remember? That's when he and Takeda-san started talking."

Jun's heart sank. While she was off trying to keep the label's PR people happy, another guy had decided to hit on Tori. _Not again,_ she grumbled to herself. _He probably used Akira to get introduced to her. Seriously, I can't take much more of this._

Azusa was trying to say something, but Jun ignored her, too busy scanning the room to bother listening.

"Uh, Jun? About that guy…Tori is…Jun, wait!"

Waving her off, Jun began to work her way through the crowd, but her search for Tori was unsuccessful until her peripheral vision caught a movement near one of the doors. It was Tori, leaving with a man Jun didn't recognize. The sight drove her heart into her throat.

_Oh, God, she can't be going home with that guy. No way. I will _not_ let that happen._

She immediately made for the door, pushing her way past clusters of people and throwing apologies over her shoulder in response to their exclamations of annoyance. As she burst into the hallway, she looked around frantically for any sign of Tori, but there was nobody there except for the two hotel employees who were controlling access to the party. Trying desperately to swallow the panic raging inside her, Jun whirled to face one of the men at the door.

"Excuse me, that woman who just left…"

"Which one, miss?" he asked. "A lot of people have been coming and going."

"The girl…she's really, um, hot. And the guy…"

She paused, trying and failing to come up with words to describe Tori's companion.

"…is a guy," she finished lamely.

"Oh, yeah, them," the other man replied. "That way. Take the first left."

He pointed down the hall. Jun thanked him, and immediately took off in the direction he'd indicated. As she ran, her mind was dominated by one thought: _I will _not_ let him have her without a fight._

As she barreled around the corner at full speed, she almost ran into two people who were standing in the middle of the hallway. Screeching to a stop to avoid a collision, she was about to apologize for intruding when she realized it was Tori and the man she'd seen her with earlier. They gaped at her, surprised by her sudden appearance.

"J-jun!" Tori stammered.

The bassist could no longer hold back her frustration.

"What the hell is this, Tori?" she demanded. "Are you that starved for company that you couldn't wait a half hour for me to come back?"

Tori didn't say anything; she looked too shocked to speak. Without waiting for her reply, Jun turned on the man.

"Sorry. She's with me, and she's going to stay right here with me."

"Um, there appears to be some mistake…" the man began.

"You bet," Jun retorted, her eyes narrowing. "And you're the one who made it. Now turn around and start walking, because you're not going to get any action here tonight."

The ice in Tori's voice brought her up short.

"Jun, enough!"

Startled, the bassist turned, gulping when she saw the look on Tori's face. The guitarist was as angry as she'd ever seen her in the brief time they'd known each other. Her words ripped into Jun like razors.

"_You're _the one who made the mistake here, Jun. This gentleman works with Maeda-san, and we were talking about the possibility of their firm representing Steelflower. Azu was busy, so I agreed to talk to him since I've dealt with agents before. We came out here to get some privacy. I asked her to tell you what was going on if you came looking for me."

Suddenly, Jun felt like a complete fool. Azusa had been trying to tell her all this, but she'd been so fixated on Tori that she'd paid no attention. Her overreaction had embarrassed Tori in the middle of a potential business deal, and made both women look unprofessional. Blushing to her roots, she turned back to the man and bowed deeply.

"I…I…humbly apologize…sir…"

"It's okay," he replied, looking at the two women uncertainly. "Uh, I can see you two have some things to discuss. Takeda-san, if your band is interested, I'd be happy to meet with you to talk details."

With a last doubtful look at Jun, he bowed, then hurried off. Unable to meet Tori's eyes, Jun braced herself for the inevitable scolding, which wasn't long in coming.

"Dammit, Jun, what is wrong with you? You made us both look bad, and probably ruined any chance of the band doing business with that company. Look, when you ran that first guy off, it was cute, but this was just…"

Tori's words trailed off into an annoyed growl. Mortified at disappointing her like this, Jun wished a hole would open up in the floor and swallow her.

"I'm…really sorry, Tori. Can you forgive me? Please say you will."

She bowed even more deeply than she had to Sadao's co-worker, and this time she held it, waiting for a sign that Tori's anger had lessened. For a long moment, the hallway was deathly quiet, until Tori spoke again. Her voice was much gentler this time.

"Pigtails-chan, look at me."

Encouraged by the use of her familiar nickname, Jun slowly stood upright, and allowed her eyes to meet Tori's. To her relief, there was no anger in them, only concern.

"I've never seen you act like this. It's one thing to be protective of me, but you really don't have to go to such extremes. I mean, we're just friends, but you're acting more like a jealous lover."

Her words ignited Jun's frustration all over again. She was tired of Tori pretending they were "just friends." They were more than friends, and they both knew it, but Jun realized that by not being plain about her feelings she was giving Tori an excuse to ignore reality. It was time to end the charade. Whatever happened, good or bad, Tori needed to know exactly where Jun stood.

"How can you not understand? I refuse to believe you're this dense. I act this way because I don't want to be 'just friends.' I want you for myself. Not just your friendship – I want _all_ of you, and I won't stand by and let anyone else take you away. Are you so blind that you can't see how I feel about you? I don't think you are. So quit running from the truth."

Tori appeared to be totally taken aback by Jun's bold declaration.

"P-pigtails-chan…I…I…"

"What, you don't believe me?" Jun pressed.

"N-no, it's just that…we can't…"

Jun was not about to let up.

"We can't what? Be together? Why not? Your ex-boyfriend dumped you this morning, so you can't use him as an excuse anymore. So what other reason is there? Wait. Don't tell me it's that 'I don't date fellow band members' thing."

Tori hesitated, then nodded unhappily.

"Jun, please…I'll only wind up hurting both you and the band…I need you to understand…"

"Well, I _don't_ understand," Jun interrupted, infuriated by Tori's hesitation. "Why can't I be the exception?"

Tori hung her head, and didn't answer. As her emotions surged, Jun was unable to keep the pleading out of her voice.

"Please, Tori, give me a chance. We're way past friendship, and you know it. I've never been so crazy over someone before. And we're right for each other in so many ways. I'll treat you like the Empress…worship the ground you walk on. Hell, I already do that."

Tori simply shook her head.

"It's not possible."

"It _is_, dammit!" Jun snapped. "Good God, what do I need to do to get through to you?"

She moved closer to Tori, so close that they were almost touching. Her heart was pounding so hard that she could hear the rush of her pulse clearly in the silence of the hallway. Even though she was trembling with desire and anticipation, she was somehow able to keep her voice clear.

"Tori…look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me."

Slowly, Tori raised her head, and the anguished expression on her face was like a dagger into Jun's heart. As the bassist nervously waited for a response, her breath caught in her throat, and her insides felt like lead. What if Tori actually said the words? If she did, Jun was sure she'd die.

It looked like the guitarist was trying meet Jun's challenge, but when she opened her mouth to speak, the words wouldn't come.

"I d-…I…can't do it."

Jun really wasn't sure why she did what she did next. Maybe she just wanted to convey, in clear and unmistakable fashion, the depth of her devotion to the woman standing before her. Maybe it was because she wanted to help break Tori out of her indecision. Or maybe it was a bit of both. For whatever reason, she leaned forward, and gently captured Tori's lips with her own.

They were soft, softer than Jun had imagined. It was just a gentle, momentary caress, but she could still feel their deep connection. There was something there in Tori's heart, something bearing the label "Jun." The bassist had never been surer of anything in her life.

After the too-brief contact, she pulled away, and for several heartbeats, the women locked eyes. Growing uneasy, Jun was just about to break the silence, when…

…_crack!_

Her vision exploded into a burst of colored lights as Tori's palm smashed across her jaw. The force of the sudden blow sent her staggering backward as the sting of the impact brought tears to her eyes. As she leaned against the wall, trying to shake off the pain and vertigo, she heard a gasp.

"Oh, no…what have I done? Jun…I'm sorry…"

Tori took a step toward her, but Jun retreated, staring numbly at her horrified companion. As she rubbed the side of her face Tori had struck, her mind was reeling. How could she have misread the guitarist so completely? It didn't seem possible. A sickening feeling of despair filled her, and suddenly, she didn't want to be anywhere near Tori. She needed to get away, to think things through.

So she took off running, heading back the way she came, ignoring Tori's desperate calls after her. When she came to the entrance to the party room, she didn't even break stride, continuing past the puzzled employees and down the stairwell at the other end of the hall. All she could think about was getting out of there, so she could put some space between herself and the situation and sort things out. Luckily, there was still time to make the last train, because there was no way she wanted to ride back to Hachiōji in the limo with Tori and the others.

It wasn't until 10 minutes later, while she was standing on the westbound platform at Shinkjuku Station, that she sent an email to Azusa explaining that she was headed home early. The final six sentences of that message were the most heartbreaking she'd ever written.

_Totally screwed things up with Tori. She hates me now. Not sure I can face her. Looks like I'm going to have to quit the band. Won't be able to keep my promise to Ui. I'm really sorry, Azusa._

* * *

**A/N:**

− As always, I'm grateful to Musician74, my long-time editor, for her invaluable assistance with this chapter.

− In this story, Akira's boyfriend is the senpai she had a crush on in high school. In Volume 5, Chapter 9 of the _K-On!_ manga, he is identified only by the surname Maeda, which I've used here. The given name Sadao is my own invention. In Volume 6, Chapter 12, he works for a small, independent record company, but for purposes of the narrative, I have assumed that in the six years since the end of canon, he has left that job to start an artist management firm, and that Akira is one of his clients.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	7. Chapter 7: Resolution

_**WARNING! This chapter contains M-rated content! **_There is a strong lesbian theme throughout, and there are depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative. Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

**_NOTE ON FORMATTING:_** Even though this story is written in English, the characters' default language is understood to be Japanese. [Bracketed text like this denotes that the words are either spoken or thought in English.] Internal monologue, electronic communications, and song lyrics are _italicized_.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Resolution**

_4/30/2016, 11:27 pm  
__Chrysanthemum Room, Shinjuku Washington Hotel, Nishi-Shinjuku 3-2-9, Shinjuku Ward, Tōkyō_

Jun's email hit Azusa like a bolt from the blue, startling her to the point that she almost dropped her phone. Right then, she knew she should have followed her instincts and stopped the bassist from running after Tori. Now, just fifteen short minutes later, all hell was breaking loose.

After taking a moment to collect her wits, she told Yui what happened, and then retreated to the outside hallway to try to make contact with her two friends. When Jun didn't answer her cell phone, Azusa realized she was probably already on the train, so she sent an email asking Jun to reply as soon as possible, then turned her attention to Tori. She chose not to call the guitarist right away, reasoning that since she wasn't with Jun at Shinjuku, she was more than likely still someplace in the hotel. Not only that, if the tone of Jun's email was any indication, there was a good chance that Tori wouldn't answer, anyway. It made more sense for Azusa to find her and hear her side of the story in person.

She began to wander the nearby hallways, looking for any signs of the tall Japanese-American. After several minutes of fruitless searching, she pushed through the door of the only place she hadn't checked: the women's restroom. At first glance, it appeared to be deserted, and Azusa's shoulders sagged in disappointment. It looked like she was going to have to try to call Tori after all, or move to the next floor down and start her search over. Before she could pull her phone out again, however, she heard a muffled sob come from one of the stalls.

"Tori?"

There was no answer. Then, after a brief silence, Azusa heard another sob.

"Tori, it's me. What's going on?"

Again, there was no answer, so Azusa knocked twice on the stall door.

"Please, open up."

There was a clicking sound as the latch released, and then the door swung open. The woman huddled against the stall wall was indeed Tori, but she looked shockingly different from when Azusa had last seen her just a few minutes earlier. Her disheveled appearance, tear-stained face, and swollen eyes were the very picture of abject misery, and Azusa couldn't help but feel pity for her.

"Oh, Azu…I…I hurt Jun…I really messed things up…"

She hung her head, and for a moment Azusa wasn't sure how to respond. Extreme displays of emotion made her uncomfortable, especially coming from someone like Tori, who was normally quite relaxed and even-tempered. Nevertheless, Azusa needed to know what was going on before she could offer comfort. The only way to find out was to ask, so she forced the question out.

"What happened? First I get a really upsetting email from Jun, then I find you in here crying. I can't help you unless you talk to me."

Tori's head snapped upward.

"What did Jun tell you?" she demanded. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

Azusa decided that it was better not to tell Tori exactly what Jun's message had said, at least until she could figure out what had caused the rupture between the two women.

"She was at Shinjuku when she sent it. I assume she's on the train by now."

The agony in Tori's words was heartbreaking.

"I tried to call her…to tell her that I'm sorry…but she won't answer…what am I going to do, Azu?"

Her face crumpled, and as she hung her head again, Azusa saw a solitary tear drop from her face to the bathroom floor, glistening in the glare of the overhead fluorescent lights as it fell. It was quickly followed by another, and then another. Tori's shoulders began to heave as her barely-suppressed sobs returned. Azusa, by now panicking, stood frozen in place, feeling utterly helpless. _What am I supposed to do? I suck at dealing with these situations._

In the end, she couldn't think of anything appropriate to say, so she simply waited as Tori, clearly embarrassed at showing such emotion in front of her, struggled to stop crying. When she finally regained her composure, Azusa tore some toilet paper off the dispenser, wadded it up, and handed it to her.

"Here, dry your eyes. Yui and I are going to take you home, okay?"

"I know I'm acting like a little child," Tori apologized as she wiped away the tears. "But I was so stupid. Jun didn't deserve what I did to her. It's just that…"

"No, not here, not now," Azusa interrupted, trying to sound as soothing as possible. "Let's wait until we're in the limo. I have to go tell Yui I found you, so try to get yourself cleaned up."

As Tori headed for the sink to wash her face, Azusa turned to leave, satisfied that things were under control for the moment. As she was about to walk through the restroom door, however, Tori stopped her.

"Um, hey…I just wanted to say I'm sorry for all this…you know, for being so emotional, and for putting you and Yui-san through a lot of trouble. I'm really…ashamed."

Azusa shook her head, forcing a smile in an attempt to appear encouraging.

"You don't need to apologize, Tori. You're an important friend, and we go back a long way."

Tori's shoulders slumped as she leaned against the sink. For an instant, Azusa was afraid she might start crying again, but thankfully the taller woman was able to keep control. Even so, Azusa had to strain to hear her mumbled reply.

"Yeah, we're friends, but that may change after you find out what happened."

"I doubt it," was Azusa's swift rejoinder. "But let's just hold off on talking about it for now. I have to go get Yui away from the party so we can leave. Stay here until I get back."

* * *

As the limo sped westbound along Metropolitan Expressway 3, Azusa studied Tori's face, or at least as much of it as she could see in the dim glow of the passing streetlights. The American was no longer weepy, but that was pretty much the only positive improvement in her mood, at least as far as Azusa could tell. She still appeared as despondent as she'd been when Azusa had first encountered her in the hotel restroom. It was a stark contrast from her normally friendly, outgoing manner.

Whatever happened with Jun, Azusa knew it wasn't trivial, at least not if Jun was talking about quitting Steelflower over it, and not if it had affected Tori so profoundly. As much as she disliked meddling in other people's business, especially relationship drama, the possibility of Jun leaving the band meant she had no choice but to get involved. The first step was to get Tori talking.

"Okay, now that we're in private, how about you finally tell us what happened between you and Jun?"

Tori looked hesitatingly at Yui.

"I don't want to trouble Yui-san…"

With a sympathetic smile, the brunette held up a hand to stop her.

"It's okay. Jun-chan's been my friend for years, and I've come to regard you as a friend, too. I want to help you, because it makes me sad when my friends don't get along. So it's okay if you don't hold back."

After thinking it over for a moment, Tori nodded, then briefly summarized what had happened from the time she had left Azusa and Yui until Jun apologized to Sadao's colleague. She spoke in a near-monotone, betraying little emotion as she talked.

"And then…we had words about how overprotective she was being. It basically turned into a confession on her part. She kept pushing, even though I kept telling her we couldn't be together, and finally…she…kissed me. I just sort of…reacted, and I slapped her, really hard. I tried to apologize, but she ran off."

Azusa's heart sank.

"You're not serious."

Tori's bottom lip began to quiver, and for a brief moment Azusa though she might start crying again. She didn't, however, and after taking a deep breath, forced herself to continue.

"I wish I was making this up, but I'm not. Oh, God, the look in her eyes…it hurts so much just to remember it…"

It was just like Jun to be so persistent, so on one level, Azusa could understand Tori's response, because she had slapped Yui once or twice for taking the same liberty. But that was when they were a lot younger, and Yui was obviously playing around at the time. In this case, however, Azusa knew Jun didn't mean the kiss as a joke. Even though her longtime friend had never explicitly confided in her, Azusa could tell she was deadly serious about Tori. To kiss the woman she had such strong feelings for, and to be slapped in return, must have been devastating.

Despite this, Azusa had a feeling she was missing something. Why would Jun choose tonight of all nights to confess to Tori? And why would she go so far as to kiss her in so public a place as a hotel hallway? She knew Tori and Jackson were still together, and as forward as she could be sometimes, it wasn't like her to try to break up a relationship, however troubled it might be. None of it added up in Azusa's mind.

"I don't get it. Jun knows you're with Jackson, so why would she do something like this all of a sudden? It's bizarre, even for Jun."

Tori hesitated.

"Um, actually, I'm not with Jackson anymore. He dumped me this morning."

Although Tori had told Azusa from the beginning that she thought her relationship with Jackson wouldn't last much longer, and she had hinted earlier in the evening that something had happened between them, the news still came as a bit of a shock because it was so sudden. Knowing Tori, Azusa had expected things to drag out a lot longer. Even more surprising was how unemotional Tori seemed about the break-up, even though it had only taken place a little more than twelve hours ago.

"I have to say, you're taking this way better than I expected."

"That's because I'm more relieved than sad," Tori explained. "Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's the truth. The relationship was pretty much dead the moment I left the States, although neither he nor I wanted to admit it. Today was the day that he decided to be the one to finally end it. That's not to say it wasn't difficult to deal with, but that wasn't because I loved him. I realized today that he's not the one I love, and hasn't been for a while. I apologize for not saying something earlier, but I didn't want to burden you with my problems."

With a flash of insight, Azusa realized Jun must have been aware of the break-up. She had to be, because otherwise her sudden confession made no sense.

"Jun knew about this, didn't she?"

"She did. We spent a lot of time this afternoon talking about it."

Yui, who had been silently listening to Azusa and Tori's conversation, finally spoke up.

"I don't get it. If you're officially single now, why did you still tell Jun-chan you couldn't be together?"

"Geez, Yui, you shouldn't be so blunt," Azusa scolded. Yui waved her off impatiently.

"I'm just trying to understand what's going on, that's all."

Yui turned to Tori, waiting for a reply. Unlike Azusa, Tori didn't seem taken aback by the question. Instead, the look of despair Azusa had seen on her face in the hotel restroom returned, and her eyes once again filled with tears.

"The reason isn't important anymore. I know now that it was stupid, anyway. All I can see in my mind is the look on her face after I slapped her. Shock and pain…and betrayal. I'll never forget her expression…oh, God, I wish I could relive that moment. I would have reacted so much differently."

She slumped forward, elbows on knees and head in hands.

"I just…want to see her right now. I want to talk to her, to make things right, and tell her how I feel. But that probably won't happen. She hates me now, I just know it."

"She never said anything about 'hating' you," Azusa countered, deciding it was the right time to tell Tori what was in Jun's email. "In fact, she thinks it's the other way around. She wants to quit the band, because she's not sure she can face you."

Tori sat bolt upright, gasping in sudden dismay.

"No! She can't quit! Steelflower wouldn't be Steelflower without Jun. And she's totally wrong. I'm the one who screwed up, not her. I don't hate her. I could never hate her…"

"She's the one you're in love with, isn't she?" Yui broke in. "Instead of Jackson, I mean. Actually, I don't know why I'm asking. You're really bad at hiding it. Even someone as clueless as me can see it."

Tori looked downward and nodded her head sadly.

"I am, but it was only tonight that I could admit it. Now that I've lost her, I realize just what she means to me. I was able to walk away from Jackson without looking back because of her. But it doesn't matter what I feel now. It's too late. I've lost her…oh, if only I hadn't hit her…"

Yui reached out and patted her hand reassuringly.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. I've known Jun-chan for a long time, and she doesn't give up on things so easily, not when they really matter to her."

Tori said nothing; instead, she merely nodded her thanks for the encouragement and wiped her eyes again. Yui turned back to Azusa and shrugged.

"This sounds like one big misunderstanding. In fact, it reminds me of what happened between you and me. Once we were able to talk to each other face to face, things turned out just fine. I think if they could just meet with each other, the situation would take care of itself."

Azusa was pretty sure Yui was right. Still, a face-to-face meeting wasn't going to be as easy to arrange as it seemed. While Tori clearly wanted that to happen, there was no guarantee that Jun would agree to it.

"You need to call her, or at least email," she told Tori. "She needs to know that you want to apologize in person."

"But I already told you she won't answer," Tori complained. "And I don't want to make up with her that way. Oh, Azu, I really do want to see her. If I could just talk to her…"

Suddenly, Azusa's phone began to buzz, and as she looked at the screen, she gave an exclamation of relief.

"Finally! Jun returned my email."

A look of hope crossed Tori's face.

"What does it say? Is she okay?"

With a couple taps, Azusa brought the email on screen, and read it out loud.

_I'll be at Keiokatakura a little after midnight. Can I call you then? Also, is Tori with you? Is she all right? Do you think she'd agree to talk to me?_

"A million questions, as usual, but she wants to see you after all," Azusa finished.

"I wish I could meet that train," Tori groaned. "I don't want to wait until tomorrow."

Her words gave Azusa an idea.

"Maybe you _can_ meet her train. I was just thinking that it's a lot faster to get from Tōkyō to Hachiōji by car than it is by rail. We didn't start too long after she did, so we should be able to beat her, especially this time of night with less traffic on the roads. Yui, could you please ask the driver if he can get us to Keiokatakura Station by midnight?"

Yui looked questioningly at Azusa for a moment, but then grinned when she realized what her girlfriend had in mind.

"I like the way you think."

The brunette knocked on the window separating the driver from the passenger compartment, and after a brief conversation, gave Azusa her answer.

"He says 'yes.'"

Azusa thanked her, then turned to Tori.

"You're going to get that second chance you wanted. And if I know Jun, she won't let you waste the opportunity. Remember, it's a second chance for her, too."

For the first time on the ride home, Tori smiled. It was weak, but it was a smile nonetheless, and the sight of it eased Azusa's worries just a bit. She hoped that they were doing the right thing, and that Jun and Tori would be able to settle things. Yui seemed convinced that they would. Azusa was inclined to agree with her, but she still had her doubts, because Jun could be unpredictable sometimes. Tori, however, seemed to have regained some of her confidence at the prospect of seeing Jun, and that was encouraging.

"I'm really sorry to drag you guys into this, but thank you both for helping me. I'll repay you for it, I promise."

"Don't worry about it," Azusa replied. "Friends do this sort of thing."

"You know what you need to do when you get to the station, Tori-san," Yui added. "Do your best, okay?"

"I won't fail," Tori vowed, although Azusa could tell she was speaking more to herself than to anyone else.

* * *

_5/1/2016, 12:05 am  
__Aboard the Keio Takao Line Local, Hachiōji_

Jun slumped back in her seat, staring listlessly at her reflection in the window on the other side of the women-only train carriage. It was the last run of the night, and there were few other passengers, mostly commuters headed home to the suburbs after late-evening socializing with their co-workers. That was perfectly fine with Jun, because the last thing she wanted was to be crammed into a crowded train while she was trying to contain the maelstrom of emotions swirling inside her.

The relative quiet of the nearly-empty carriage had given her some time to get things straight in her own mind, but the process of thinking everything through didn't make her feel any better. She had badly botched the entire encounter in the hallway, and she needed to make things right with Tori as soon as she could. As painful as Tori's rejection was, Jun at least owed her the courtesy of an apology. No, she decided, more than an apology: she needed to get on her knees in a formal bow and beg Tori to forgive her.

As for that email she'd sent to Azusa, the one where she said she was thinking of quitting Steelflower, she'd had second thoughts about that, as well. The band was bigger than her and Tori. She hoped that they could at least patch things up well enough to be able to continue as band mates, even if their personal friendship was damaged beyond repair, so that Steelflower would continue as it was.

All the same, she wasn't one hundred percent sure she could pull off being in the same band with Tori without losing her mind. It would be torture to stay in Steelflower, and to be so close to Tori knowing they could never be together, but to Jun it seemed infinitely preferable to quitting. If she left the band, she was certain she'd never so much as see Tori again, and that was something she didn't even want to contemplate.

Jun knew her mind wouldn't rest until she and Tori were reconciled. Although she didn't expect things to be the same between them, she desperately needed to know that Tori didn't hate her. _If I could just talk to her…_

As the train approached Keiokatakura Station, the grinding of its brakes signaled Jun that she was almost at her stop. As she debated whether or not she should save cab fare by walking the half a kilometer through darkened streets to get home, her phone began to buzz. It was an email from Tori, the latest in a long line of attempted contacts since Jun had left her behind at the hotel. Although she had ignored all of Tori's other calls and emails, for some reason she chose to open this one, and was immediately glad she did, almost crying out with joy and relief when she read it.

_I want to see you. Tonight. Please, Pigtails-chan, don't say no._

It wasn't at all what Jun expected. Far from being confrontational, the words read in Jun's mind like a plea, as if Tori was afraid the bassist would reject her overture. _There's no way I would ever refuse her, _she thought. _No way. I can't ignore this one. I have to reply…_

As the train ground to a stop, Jun exited through the open doors, tapping at her phone's screen as she walked slowly along the platform. She wasn't paying close attention to where she was going, so she didn't see the person in front of her until it was almost too late to avoid a collision. At the last moment, she somehow managed to spin out of the way.

"I'm really sorry, miss…"

Her words trailed off the moment she realized exactly whom she was apologizing to. It was a familiar face, every small detail of which was burned deeply into Jun's memory. It was also the last face she expected to see on a suburban train platform in the early hours of a Sunday morning. As she froze in place, mouth open in surprise, the woman chuckled.

"It's really rude to walk around with your nose glued to a cell phone screen like that. Dangerous, too. You might run into someone."

"_T-tori!_ Oh, my God, Tori…"

"I guess you were replying to my email," the taller woman smirked.

"Well, I wouldn't have bothered if I knew you were waiting," Jun retorted. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to meet me?"

The fake smile on Tori's face vanished.

"Because you already ran away from me once tonight, and I wasn't going to let that happen again."

The shock of Tori's sudden appearance began to ebb, leaving in its wake a rush of feelings that Jun was unprepared for. Although she was happy beyond words that Tori was standing right there in front of her, the regret and shame at what she'd done returned with a vengeance. Now was the time to apologize, but she found herself unable to speak. Her tears began to bubble just below the surface, threatening to break out at any moment. As she stood in the quiet of the deserted train platform trying to find words, Tori surprised her by reaching out and gently tracing her fingers across Jun's cheek, the one she'd slapped earlier.

"Where I hit you…is it okay?" she asked in a trembling voice. "I never meant to hurt you…I hate myself for doing it. I thought I lost you forever, and I…I didn't want that…oh, Pigtails-chan, can you ever forgive me?"

The eyes Jun found so beautiful were filled with tears. _Oh, no, Tori, don't cry. You're going to make me cry, too._

"I should be the one asking you to forgive me," she managed to say. "I was so selfish and rude. I'm so sorry."

Tori seemingly ignored her attempted apology.

"Azusa said you want to quit Steelflower. Is that true?"

"Not anymore," Jun assured her. "Not after I thought about it. At least, I don't want to. Even if you don't return my feelings, I still want to stay in the band. I promise I won't push myself on you. It would be enough if I could just be on the same stage with you, and be just another one of your fans. Would you let me love you even though you don't love me back? It's okay if I love you, isn't it, Tori?"

At these plaintive words, Tori's face twisted with grief, and the sight was enough to cause Jun's own suppressed emotions to burst forth. The two women looked at each other for a moment through a haze of tears before Jun launched herself at Tori, winding her arms around the taller woman's neck and clinging to her as if she was drowning. She buried her face in Tori's shoulder as the sobs wracked her body.

"I'm sorry…sorry…"

Tori wrapped her arms tightly around Jun's waist and cried along with her.

"Pigtails-chan…oh, Pigtails-chan…"

Jun wasn't sure how long the two women stood holding each other, and didn't particularly care. Tori's arms were welcoming, and in the security of the embrace she felt the sorrow and shame gradually drain out of her. Eventually, with a deep, shuddering breath, she wiped her eyes on Tori's t-shirt. The guitarist made no move to let her go, however.

"Pigtails-chan, would you do something for me?"

Jun raised her head so she could see Tori's face.

"Anything. Name it, and I'll do it."

The smoldering brown eyes, still puffy from crying, locked onto hers.

"Like I said before, I never meant to hurt you. That slap was me overreacting and being stupid. I've been kicking myself ever since, wishing I could do it all over…wanting a second chance to say how I really feel."

Jun stared at her, wondering what she meant.

"You know I'll listen to whatever you want to tell me. You can talk all night if you want. I won't mind."

Tori thought for a moment.

"Well, I suppose I could tell you, but I'd much rather show you."

With that, Tori's lips found Jun's, taking the brunette completely by surprise. The kiss was soft and gentle, yet insistent, and after the shock wore off, Jun felt the same deep connection she'd sensed back in the hotel hallway. It may have been just a simple kiss, but for Jun it brought healing. Tori had accepted her, and that was enough to take everything wrong with her world and set it right. The despair and frustration that had hung from her like a dead weight disappeared without a trace, and she felt lighter than air, as if she was soaring skyward.

After what seemed like hours, their lips finally parted, and Tori flashed her usual easygoing smile. This time, it was real, and Jun immediately knew that things were on their way back to normal between them.

"So, Pigtails-chan, what did you think? I'll bet you liked that answer far better than the first one, huh?"

Jun's mind was still racing over the kiss and the very clear meaning behind it, but her brain wasn't so fogged that she was going to miss a chance to tweak her new lover before giving her a proper response.

"What did I think? It beats that right cross of yours, that's for sure. But to be honest, it didn't make that much of an impression."

Tori stared at her in disbelief.

"Geez! You could at least…"

"Still, one kiss isn't much to go on," Jun interrupted her, smiling mischievously. "I need more."

Before Tori could say anything further, Jun pulled her into another kiss. This time, the bassist was acutely aware of every sensation: Tori's lips, so soft and yielding; their tongues gliding across each other in a gentle slow dance; the silky texture of Tori's hair as she ran her fingers through it; the warmth of Tori's breasts and stomach as they pressed against her own.

The kiss quickly deepened, turning almost ferocious as more than a month of unresolved sexual tension between the two women finally exploded. As the heat rapidly rose within her, Jun could no longer hold back. She ground against Tori shamelessly, not caring that they were in public, standing on the platform at a train station where anyone might stumble upon them. It was what she had longed for, to be joined like this with the woman she so deeply loved, and all she could focus on was the feeling of Tori's lips on hers.

Suddenly, Tori's hands, which had been dancing back and forth across Jun's back and shoulders, drifted downward and began to cup and knead her rear end. At the sensation, Jun moaned into the guitarist's mouth, and her insides felt like they were melting. It was all the encouragement she needed, and she responded by gently palming one of Tori's breasts, reveling in the feel of it in her hand. Even through Tori's bra, it felt just as she'd imagined it, a perfect balance between firmness and softness.

Jun's touch appeared to be too much for Tori, who immediately broke the kiss off with a gasp, and reached up and pushed Jun's hand away. As the two women stood panting and gazing into each other's eyes, Jun had a momentary sinking feeling that she'd once again overstepped her bounds, but Tori quickly put those fears to rest.

"It's not what you think. I liked it, but maybe a bit too much. Okay, way too much. If I let you go on, I wouldn't want to stop."

"I _don't_ want to stop, thanks to you," Jun protested. "The way you're touching me, and kissing me…you're making me crazy."

"Me, too, but we're in public. Another minute of us making out like that and we'd be risking arrest. Besides, the station's technically closed, and the night watch is probably going to come along at any minute, so we need to go."

Jun wasn't about to let this end. She wanted Tori badly, and after what had just happened between them she knew the feeling was mutual. There was no way they weren't going to see this through to the logical conclusion, not if she had anything to say about it. The question was, where?

"The Hotel Dolphin is only about a kilometer north of here."

"Too expensive and too far," Tori dismissed. "We're going to my apartment. It's right on the other side of the station, remember?"

"Are you sure? Apartment walls can be pretty thin. I have a feeling that'll be a factor."

The two women grinned at each other.

"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" Tori taunted.

"Are you kidding?" Jun shot back. "I already know one of your weak spots."

"Where?"

"Here."

Jun reached out and brushed her fingers lightly across the underside of her girlfriend's breasts. Tori shivered involuntarily, then pushed her hands away again. She pretended to be angry, but Jun knew it was an act.

"Jerk! Keep doing that and I'll start tearing your clothes off!"

"…which I would not at all mind," Jun smirked. Tori rolled her eyes in response, but was unable to keep a straight face.

"Pervert. You want us to wind up in jail? At least wait the five minutes it'll take to walk to my place."

"That's going to be the longest five minutes of my life," Jun grumbled as she grabbed Tori's hand and began pulling her toward the stairs to the station entrance.

* * *

_5/1/2016, 12:36 am  
__Tori's Apartment, Katakuramachi 440-1-6, Hachiōji_

Tori peered at the security panel next to her apartment door, trying to enter the access code properly. She'd already failed once, and as her shaky fingers stabbed at the buttons on the keypad, she was pretty sure the second attempt was going to be unsuccessful, too. It would have been a lot easier if Jun wasn't wound around her like a vine on a trellis, but the firm breasts pressing into her upper back and the hands tracing gently across her ribs and stomach made focusing on even the simplest task nearly impossible. As the red light on the panel flashed, indicating that she'd entered the wrong code again, Tori grunted in annoyance.

"Um, Pigtails-chan, you need to let go. I can't concentrate. If I mess up a third time, the alarm will go off."

Jun didn't answer, opting instead to run her fingers gently across Tori's breasts. Unable to keep from trembling at the contact, the guitarist finally decided enough was enough. She wriggled out of Jun's arms and pushed her away, scolding her in a harsh whisper.

"Geez, stop thinking with your ovaries! You want someone to see us and complain to the landlord? Let me get the door open, at least."

"I can't help it," Jun pouted, barely keeping her voice down. "I want you, and I don't want to wait."

Her face had that puppy-dog look that Tori found so hard to resist, but the beleaguered guitarist steeled her resolve, knowing that if she gave in and let Jun touch her again they would never make it inside.

"Well, it's your own fault. You were like a horny schoolgirl. You couldn't make it ten steps without wanting to make out. It should have taken us less than five minutes to get here, but it took fifteen because you couldn't control yourself."

"You were kissing me back just as hard," Jun insisted. "You loved every second, and you know it."

With a shrug, Tori admitted defeat, because it was true. She'd been nervous about showing affection in public, but once Jun had pushed her up against the wall of the deserted underground pedestrian tunnel next to the train station, her resistance had evaporated. After that, every time Jun dragged her behind a retaining wall or a stand of trees, she was a willing participant. It was a highly effective form of foreplay, and by the time the two women had reached her front door, Tori was frantic with need.

Still, there were appearances to keep up, and while there had been plenty of hiding places where they could share intimate moments on the walk from the train station, the exterior hallway in front of her apartment was a different matter altogether. It was well after midnight, but their risk of being seen was still high. Despite her desire for Jun, Tori was no exhibitionist. Besides, any scandalous behavior would ruin her reputation in the apartment complex, and possibly get her evicted.

"Stop acting like you're five years old," she ordered her companion. "You're an adult, so show a little patience."

As Jun whimpered in frustration, Tori turned back to the security keypad and attempted for the third time to enter the access code correctly. With no distractions this time, she was successful, and as the light on the panel flashed green, she heard the click of the lock disengage. After pushing the door open, she grabbed Jun by the hand and hauled her inside.

No sooner had the door swung shut behind them than Jun pushed Tori against it, pinning her wrists to either side and locking her lips onto Tori's. Her sudden seizure of the initiative took Tori by surprise, but after a moment she returned the kiss hungrily. Jun's lips were soft and warm, and every time they caressed Tori's the sensation was exquisite. No one had ever ignited the passion within her like this simply by kissing her, but even though Jun's kisses were heavenly, they weren't enough to bring Tori relief. All they did was feed the pulsating heat in her groin until it was nearly unbearable.

Suddenly, Jun released both Tori's lips and her wrists. It seemed the perfect time to head for the bedroom, but before Tori could say so, Jun's hands found her breasts, gently palming and kneading them through her shirt. With a shudder, Tori gave up any attempt at rational thinking. All she could do was wrap her now-free arms around her girlfriend's neck and give herself over to the pleasure.

She was just about to pull Jun into another kiss when the brunette's hands suddenly left her chest and drifted down to the front of her jeans, unbuttoning and unzipping them with practiced ease. Jun tugged Tori's t-shirt out of the now-loosened waistband, pulling it up and over the guitarist's head in one smooth motion and then tossing it aside. Tori's jeans, shoes, and underwear soon followed the shirt, and as she stood in front of Jun completely naked, the cool apartment air flowed over her bare skin, hardening her already-erect nipples until they felt like flint.

Tori made no move to hide her body. On the contrary, she wanted – no, _needed_ – Jun's eyes on her. Her lover was happy to oblige, staring at Tori like a child who had just unwrapped a hoped-for gift on Christmas morning.

"So perfect."

"Touch me," Tori begged, her voice hoarse with desire.

Jun didn't need to be told twice. As her callused fingers stroked the sensitive skin of Tori's breasts, ribs, and stomach, every touch triggered a lightning bolt of pleasure that shot straight to Tori's core and bounced back up her spine to slam into her brain stem. Her heavy breathing quickly turned into forceful gasps as Jun replaced one of her hands with her mouth, leaning down to nibble at one breast as she gently twirled the nipple of the other between her thumb and forefinger. As the flow of dampness between her legs built into a torrent, Tori began a fevered inner monologue. _It feels so good. It's almost _too_ good. Yes, right there…just like that…oh, God, I need more. I want her to make me come…_

Almost as if she had read Tori's thoughts, Jun straightened up, briefly reclaiming Tori's lips with her own before her fingers slid down Tori's quivering stomach and over her mound, seeking access to her core. Almost by reflex, Tori spread her legs wider and rolled her hips back, groaning with satisfaction as the invading fingers glided through her sopping folds.

"Wow, you're really wet," Jun noted with obvious satisfaction. Despite the hitches in her breathing, Tori was able to force out a response.

"Your…fault…quit playing…finish me…"

Jun's eyes glinted with sudden determination. Her fingers, now coated with slick wetness, quickly found Tori's pleasure nexus and began to slide back and forth over it at a pace that could only be described as frenetic. Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Tori nevertheless quickly recovered her wits and began to grind against Jun's hand, shaking and shuddering as she rocketed to the very edge of release. It felt like sheets of flame were sweeping through her, flames that rapidly coalesced into a huge fireball that, after only about half a minute of relentless effort on Jun's part, detonated with such force that she actually saw stars.

It was the kind of orgasm that even the most committed atheist would consider a religious experience. For about fifteen seconds, Tori existed outside time and space as the spasms tore through her. They were so intense that she was barely able to breathe, let alone stay standing, and it was all she could do to cling to Jun to keep from collapsing to the floor as she rode the climax out.

Finally, Tori sagged back against the apartment door, spent. Jun wrapped her arms around her lover and drew her close, showering her lips, neck, and jawline with gentle kisses before finally leaning her head against Tori's shoulder.

As the tide of pleasure began to ebb, Tori's mind was a kaleidoscope of raw feelings. She wanted to jump for joy…or was it collapse in tears? She wasn't sure which. Maybe it was both. There was one thing she was absolutely sure of, however: at that very moment in time, she loved Suzuki Jun more deeply than she'd ever loved anyone else. The turbulent events of the past 36 hours had shown that to be an irrefutable fact she could no longer deny. As she rested in Jun's arms, her feelings began to overflow, transforming into words.

"I love you, Pigtails-chan."

From somewhere near her collarbone, Tori could hear the sound of Jun's breath catching, and as the bassist raised her head to look at her, there were tears in her eyes.

"I've been waiting to hear you say that," she quavered, before burying her head in the taller woman's shoulder again. "Oh, Tori…I'm so helplessly in love with you. All I ever really wanted was for you to love me, too…"

Tori said nothing. She merely stroked Jun's hair, playing idly with her pigtails as they leaned against the door for several long moments, enfolded in each other's arms. Finally, Jun pulled out of Tori's embrace, wiping her eyes with her fingers. Despite the brief surge of emotion, she was still the same old Jun, somehow managing a smile as she tried to joke away the suddenly heavy mood.

"I guess we never made it to the bedroom, huh? Are you okay?"

Tori smirked back at her.

"Considering that I just had amazing sex without even making it past the _genkan_ of my apartment, and that I can barely stand, I'd say I'm doing pretty well."

"It's not like you stopped me or anything," Jun replied with a touch of smugness. "You just couldn't resist the Suzuki Jun magic, could you? It's like I told you when we first met, I'm as good at making love as I am at playing bass. This was hands-on proof, so to speak."

Tori rolled her eyes, unable to resist teasing her supremely confident girlfriend.

"Arrogant to the bitter end, huh? Seriously, Pigtails-chan, you really do know how to please a girl, but as good as it was, there was still something missing."

"What do you mean there was something missing? I thought you just said it was amazing!"

The look of dismay that swept across Jun's face showed that the attempted jest had fallen flat.

"It _was_ amazing," Tori quickly assured her lover, not wanting to hurt her feelings. "But it wasn't fair, either. I don't mind you leading, but I want you to feel good, too. That's what I meant when I said something was missing."

"Oh, is that all?" Jun replied with a relieved grin. "That's easily fixed. All you have to do is rip my clothes off and shove your fingers in my…"

"Before I do any ripping or shoving, we need to move to the bedroom first," Tori interrupted, ignoring the lurid mental image. "It's warmer in there, and besides, the longer we stand out here, the weirder things seem. I mean, you haven't even taken off your shoes yet."

"Yeah, I _do_ look a bit silly," Jun admitted sheepishly, kicking off her sneakers. "But you…it doesn't matter if you're standing naked in a _genkan_, you're still utterly beautiful, like a vision. I still can't believe how fortunate I am to be with a goddess like you."

By way of answer, Tori leaned forward and gently kissed Jun on the lips. Then, without saying a word, she took her girlfriend by the hand and led her to the bedroom.

* * *

For the better part of the next hour, Jun made love to Tori more or less continuously, playing the highly skilled _tachi_ to Tori's very willing _neko_. In contrast to the explosive intensity of their first encounter, Jun's approach was now much more leisurely. That suited Tori just fine, because the sensation of Jun's hands and lips on her skin was transcendent, and she was in no hurry for the experience to end.

She had never experienced sex on this level. With past lovers, including Jackson, Tori had gone unsatisfied more often than not, but Jun seemed to be able to make her climax at will, as if they had been partners for years. And to her delight, Jun was just as responsive when Tori touched her in return; the way her body moved, and her facial expressions and vocalizations while ascending toward climax, further fed Tori's own arousal. They were making love in the purest sense of the phrase, with the physical sensations magnified a hundredfold by the deep emotional bond the two women shared. The more Jun gave to Tori, the more she wanted, and the more she wanted to give back. Jun seemed to sense this, and drove her from climax to moaning, squirming climax in a gentle but steady rhythm.

Finally, after one last titanic orgasm that had her biting down on her forearm to keep from screaming, Tori went limp. Gasping for breath and staring vacantly at the ceiling, she felt completely and utterly sated, at least for the moment. Jun leaned down to kiss her gently on the forehead, then lay on her side next to her still-trembling lover, gently caressing Tori's quivering, sweaty stomach and waiting patiently for her to descend from her peak.

"So good," the guitarist finally managed to groan. "Can't feel my legs…oh, God, I need a break…here, feel my heartbeat…I'm going to die…"

When she grabbed Jun's hand and held it to her chest, the brunette couldn't suppress a giggle.

"Wow, you're heart's really pounding. Looks like I'll have to give you at least 30 seconds of rest before the next round."

"Geez, go easier on me, Pigtails-chan," Tori complained, still trying to catch her breath. "I'm not used to sex being this, uh, fulfilling. You're just too damned good. If you keep it up like this, you're going to put me in the hospital."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Jun replied with mock seriousness. "For one thing, I'd have no one to go to karaoke with. Maybe I should let you rest longer…say, for a minute or so."

"Jerk." There was no real intent behind the insult. Instead, Tori smiled tenderly, running her fingers through Jun's dyed-chestnut frizz. "I think you look even sexier with your hair down…"

"Mmm…that feels nice," Jun murmured appreciatively. She brushed her lips against Tori's, then snuggled closely against her.

"Let's just lie here like this for a while," Tori suggested as she began to gently trail her fingers up and down Jun's back. "You're so warm. It feels good."

"It's official," the bassist declared with a contented sigh. "My life is now absolutely perfect. Just a few hours ago, everything was falling apart, but now I'm lying next to the girl of my dreams, and we just made love…I still don't quite get how things changed all of a sudden, but I'm not complaining."

"What happened was that I realized I couldn't bear to lose you," Tori replied, nuzzling her cheek against her lover's forehead. "For about an hour, I thought I had, and it just hurt so badly. That's when I realized just what a hold you had on me. And when that finally dawned on me, all the excuses I had come up with for why we couldn't be together seemed silly. Thank you for allowing me to be stupid, and for loving me anyway."

"You shouldn't be thanking me," Jun protested. "There's no way you could make me stop loving you. Even if you killed me, I'd still love you from beyond the grave. You're the first person I can honestly say that about."

Tori felt the warmth flood through her at Jun's declaration of devotion, but at the same time, her anxieties began to surface again.

"I'm still worried, Pigtails-chan. If we eventually break up, how would that affect Steelflower? I broke my long-standing rule of not dating someone in the same band because I decided my feelings for you were so strong that it was worth the risk. Still, I can't help playing 'what-if' in my mind."

Jun rolled onto her side, propping herself up on one elbow so she could look Tori in the eyes.

"Then we'll both have to do our best, won't we? I'm not going into this expecting a break-up. See, I've been in and out of relationships for the past four years, but they never lasted long. I was too busy having fun to take them seriously. As long as she and I got along and the sex was satisfying, I was okay with it. Kind of self-absorbed, huh? But then I met you, and for the first time I found something to focus on outside myself, someone I was passionate about. I can't tell you why that is other than to say that you're the one. You're my Tori, and I'm your Jun."

Jun reached out to smooth away the damp hair matted to Tori's forehead. Her touch was as tender as the look in her eyes.

"You and I…we're going to make it," she predicted with what Tori could tell was complete sincerity. "Don't ask me how I know. I just do."

With a sudden flash of insight, it all came together in Tori's mind. It wasn't so much the case of her feelings for Jun, which she considered resolved. Rather, it was her entire reason for returning to Japan in the first place. When she'd decided to take the job at Sakuragaoka, she'd had a vague sense that there was something waiting for her, something that was finally going to turn her life around and give it meaning and purpose. At the time, she really wasn't sure what it was, and had explained it away in her mind as the silly caprice of keeping a long ago junior-high-school promise. At first, she had been tempted to think that her unexpected reunion with Azusa and the establishment of Steelflower had been that 'something,' but now, as she saw the adoration in Jun's eyes, and heard her simple declaration of faith in their future together, she realized that her real purpose for coming to Japan was the woman lying right there next to her.

"I guess I just obsess over things," she admitted. "I second-guess myself all the time. But I promise to do my best to be a good partner for you. So please, take care of me from now on. Okay, Jun?"

Tori's formal words of commitment prompted a warm smile from the bassist.

"Please care for me, as well, but…'Jun'? Why so serious all of a sudden? You hardly ever call me by my given name unless you're mad at me."

"I don't know," Tori shrugged. "It seemed to fit the mood, I guess. Besides, it's kind of weird calling you 'Pigtails-chan' when your hair's not in pigtails, don't you think?"

She began to trace her fingers over Jun's breasts, drawing a surprised hiss of pleasure when she gently flicked at one of the nipples.

"Hey, I thought you said you wanted to rest!"

Tori smiled serenely.

"I did. But this conversation changed my mind."

"A woman has a right to do that," Jun smirked as she pressed her lips to Tori's.

* * *

**A/N:**

− Once again, I'd to express my gratitude to my faithful editor, Musician74, for beta-reading this chapter. We went through more re-writes than usual this time around, so she gets a dozen virtual cookies for her tireless efforts on my behalf. Thank you, Beta-chan, for everything.

− I'm also grateful to the anonymous reviewers of Chapter 6: Rin, MioAzusa1991, Derp, and the others. I can't PM you to thank you for your input, so this will have to do.

− In Japan, it is considered extremely rude to talk on your cell phone while riding the train, because the one-sided conversation would disturb the other passengers. However, it's perfectly acceptable to send email from your phone. That's why Azusa and Jun communicate by email while the latter is on the train.

− A _genkan _is the area immediately inside the front door of a Japanese house or apartment where coats, umbrellas, and so forth are kept, and where residents remove their outdoor shoes before going inside. I used this word because I don't feel English words like "entryway" or "vestibule" convey the architectural concept properly.

− The words _tachi_ and _neko_ are Japanese lesbian slang words used to denote who leads and who follows during sex. (They have other connotations in the context of a lesbian relationship, but I won't go into that here.) I used the Japanese words because the English equivalents, "top" and "bottom," have BDSM connotations, and I don't want the nature of Jun and Tori's sexual relationship to be misinterpreted.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	8. Chapter 8: Bonds

_**WARNING! This chapter contains M-rated content! **_There is a strong lesbian theme throughout, and there are depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative. Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

_**NOTE ON FORMATTING:**_ Even though this story is written in English, the characters' default language is understood to be Japanese. [Bracketed text like this denotes that the words or thoughts are in English.] All internal monologue and song lyrics are _italicized_.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Bonds**

_5/27/2016, 6:20 pm  
__Dressing Room B, Club Live Passion, Misaki-cho 2-5, Hachiōji_

As she paced back and forth in the cramped dressing room, Azusa took a gulp from her water bottle, hoping to ease the desert-like dryness in her mouth. It helped, but did nothing for the feeling of tightness in her chest or the nausea that had settled in her stomach like a lead weight. Like most experienced musicians, she was no stranger to pre-performance anxiety, but this time her case of the jitters was the worst she could remember.

The reason, of course, was because there was so much at stake. Yui's statement to the media prior to Akira's concert had exposed Steelflower to scrutiny an otherwise obscure band like theirs wouldn't normally have to deal with. Sawako, who had agreed to represent them on an interim basis until they could find permanent management, had done an excellent job of shielding Azusa and her band mates from media inquiries of every conceivable kind, but it didn't change the fact that they were under immense pressure to succeed. No, not just succeed; they needed to take the crowd by storm during their very first show. It was the only way they would be able to justify all the media hype that had blown up around them. An uninspiring performance would lead the assembled music press to dismiss them as a bunch of Hirasawa Yui's hangers-on who were trying to ride her coattails to fame, and that would mean the end of Steelflower's professional aspirations.

Even worse than the stress induced by the media attention was the weight of the expectations of the large group of family and friends who were there to support Steelflower's debut. Every band member except Tori had relatives in the house, and along with them were a large contingent of teachers and students from Sakuragaoka (including the entire 15-member Light Music Club), several of Nao's colleagues from Sunrise Animation, and Jun's editor, who had come out to Hachiōji to cover the show personally. Last, but not least, there were the four members of HTT, whom Sawako had sneaked upstairs to Janice's office, but whose presence had leaked to the audience anyway and created a furor.

Most of all, her thoughts rested on Yui. There was no way she was going to permit herself or Steelflower to fail in front of her girlfriend, who had done more than anyone else to help the band get to this point. To let Yui down was unthinkable, and if she had to carry the entire performance to keep that from happening, she would.

With a shudder, Azusa realized she needed to stop obsessing over whom she was playing for and focus instead on the music. Once she hit that first chord, she knew, all the anxieties would fade away, just as they always did. At the moment, however, she was so terrified that she wondered if she'd make it to show time without falling apart. As the band's de facto leader, that was unacceptable. She couldn't afford to show any weakness, because it would only make it harder for the others, who were looking to her for leadership.

To distract herself, she decided to study her band mates in turn to see if her obvious nervousness was rubbing off on them. To her relief, none of the four women seemed to be paying her any mind. Each one was busy dealing with the pressure in her own way.

Sumire was seated at the make-up mirror, her face a mask of worry. She was trying unsuccessfully to trying to tie her hair back, but her hands were trembling so much that she kept dropping strands.

"Oh, geez, I can't get this. Nao, can you please help me?"

She shot a pleading look at the producer, who was leaning against the wall nearby, easing her own stress by munching on flavored rice crackers.

"I'll take care of it," Nao replied between bites. "You want a single braid or a ponytail?"

"A ponytail is fine."

Nao tossed the package of crackers on the table in front of the mirror, wiped her hands, and took over the hair-tying duties. As she brushed Sumire's long, flaxen-colored tresses, the drummer vented her frustration.

"Why did Papa have to pick this concert to come to?" she whined. "I've been playing for five years, and he's never been to any of my shows, ever. Why tonight? I want to crawl into a hole."

"Your father is here because Onē-sama really talked us up to him," Nao replied, referring to Mugi. "Thanks to her, he understands how important this gig is for you. Besides, this is your chance to show him just how good a drummer you are…too good to be a domestic for the rest of your life. Play with intensity, like you always do, and you'll be fine. And remember, we'll be on stage together, and Onē-sama will be out there cheering us on, too. So don't worry."

The producer finished with Sumire's hair, then pulled a cracker out of the package and held it to her girlfriend's lips.

"Here, have some of this. You never eat enough before a show."

Sumire said nothing in reply, opting instead to take a bite from the cracker. For a moment, Azusa had a sense of déjà vu of the very first Wakaba Girls performance back in high school, when Nao had fed the drummer crepes and _takoyaki_ to keep her blood sugar from crashing. The moment of tenderness was a rare hint of the deep feeling between the two intensely private women, who preferred to let their relationship play out behind closed doors. The sight of it lifted Azusa's mood just a bit.

On the ancient, ragged sofa across from the mirror, Tori and Jun sat in quiet conversation, oblivious to everything and everyone around them. In contrast to Nao and Sumire, they were holding hands with their fingers intertwined, and Jun's arm was wound protectively around Tori's shoulders. Azusa couldn't quite make out what they were saying to each other, and wasn't sure she wanted to know, because this least conventional of Japanese couples could be embarrassingly intimate, even in front of their friends. Still, she couldn't fault them too much, because they were barely a month into their relationship and still in the grip of new love, and although she and Yui weren't nearly as demonstrative in public, she could still relate to Tori and Jun's feelings. Besides, she had to admit that because they were so focused on each other, they weren't giving themselves the chance to be anxious over the upcoming performance. It gave her two less people to worry about.

As she watched the two couples lean on each other for support, Azusa suddenly missed Yui with a fierceness that bordered on physical pain. The brunette had promised to try to get to the dressing room before the show, but she hadn't been able to guarantee it because of the crowd. Now, with only minutes left, it looked like she wasn't going to make it after all. Disappointed, Azusa closed her eyes and tried to imagine her beloved Yui holding her and assuring her that everything was going to be all right. Even though imagination was no substitute for reality, she would have to make do.

There was a knock, after which the door opened and Live Passion's stage manager stepped into the room.

"Five minutes, guys. Also, you have visitors."

He moved to one side as two women entered.

"Make it quick," he ordered on his way out.

"We'll just be a couple of minutes," one of the women – Sawako – called after him. The manager turned to Azusa with a broad smile. "I've brought you a last-minute morale boost, Azusa-chan."

The guitarist barely heard her. She had already crossed the room and jumped into the second woman's waiting arms.

"Yui!" she cried, melting into the brunette's embrace. The others were watching, but for once she didn't care. Yui was there in person, holding her close, and that was all that mattered. In an instant, the tension ebbed out of her like a rapidly receding tide.

"I'm here, _koneko-chan,_" Yui murmured, just loud enough for Azusa to hear. "I didn't want to distract you, but Sawa-chan told me you were having a tough time, so I asked her to bring me backstage."

Azusa nuzzled her head against Yui's neck.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you. I feel so much better now."

"That's good," the brunette replied, gently stroking Azusa's hair. "There's no reason to be nervous. Everything is going to be just fine. Forget about the crowd, and just concentrate on blowing the roof off this place. I'll be watching you from Janice-san's office, okay?"

The words popped out of Azusa's mouth before she could stop them.

"I'll play every note just for you."

She winced, thinking it was a sappy thing to say, but Yui just chuckled.

"Awesome! Pretend you're playing me a private concert, then. That'll make it easier, won't it?"

She released Azusa and turned to the others, smiling one of those smiles that lit up the room.

"Mio-chan, Ricchan, Mugi-chan, and I are all rooting for you guys. Do your best, okay?"

There was a chorus of thanks, and with a wave, Yui and Sawako headed out the door. When they were gone, the stage manager stuck his head through the dressing room door.

"Two minutes."

Azusa thanked him, and turned to face the others.

"Okay, guys, it's almost show time. Remember, we're doing a cold opening with _Answer_ and _Now's the Time_. Tori will introduce the band at that point, then we'll do _Wings of an Angel,_ and then the _According to You_ cover, and follow the set list from there. When we get to the stage, watch your step, because we're starting with the lights down and it'll be hard to see the cables. When you've got your earpieces in and your instruments ready, make sure you give Nao a thumbs-up. When she gets the signal from everybody, she'll start the click track. Remember, we've got eight bars of pre-recorded intro before the downbeat to_ Answer_, so listen for the count-off. Any questions?"

There were none.

"I suck at motivational speeches, but I think we need one," she continued, addressing Tori this time. "You want to take a stab at it?"

The American nodded. She'd done this before, and was good at it, which was why Azusa had asked.

"Everyone join hands."

The five women stood in a tight circle in the middle of the room, hand in hand, with Tori and Jun to Azusa's right, and Nao and Sumire to her left. After several moments of silent solidarity, Tori spoke.

"Okay, guys, we've put virtually every minute of our spare time over the past two months into this. We've faced a lot of challenges along the way, and we have a lot riding on this show. A lot of people have high expectations for us. But for the next hour, let's forget about all that. When it comes right down to it, we need to remember that we're not just a band. We're a group of friends who happen to play music together, and we have an absolute blast doing it. Let's just chase the dream, the five of us, and leave it to everyone else to keep up as best they can. Okay?"

Four heads, including Azusa's, nodded in response. No further words were spoken as the diminutive lead guitarist headed out of the dressing room for the stage entrance, with the others following one by one.

Despite the lack of light on stage, several people on the house floor caught glimpses of the band as they took their places, and a murmur of anticipation swept through the audience. As Azusa slung the strap of her Mustang over her shoulder and adjusted her headset, she ignored the buzz from the crowd. Instead, her eyes sought out the window of Janice's office, which was high on the wall at the back of the auditorium. Because of the glare of the overhead lights, she couldn't see anything behind the glass, but it didn't matter. Yui was up there watching, she knew, and as Azusa reached out with her thoughts, she could sense her girlfriend's calming presence.

_It's going to be all right, just like Yui said,_ she reassured herself. _One step closer to the dream. Make it count, Nakano. Show these people what Steelflower can do, and make Yui proud._

* * *

_5/27/2016, 6:29 pm  
__Manager's Office, Club Live Passion_

As Yui and Sawako pushed through the door to Janice's office, the other three members of HTT were lined up at the window, watching events on the house floor. Mio briefly looked over her shoulder at the two newcomers.

"How is she?"

"She was a wreck when I got there, but she'll be fine now," Yui reported. "It's a good thing I went down, though."

"One hug made all the difference," Sawako added with a knowing smile, prompting giggle from the others.

"My, my…I wish I could have seen that," Mugi sighed dreamily.

"I'll just bet you do," Ritsu snorted. "Anyway, it's good you two got back in time. They're going to start any second."

Yui hurried to the window, pressing her nose to the glass in her excitement as she searched the shadowy figures moving around on the stage, trying to figure out which one was Azusa.

"They're out there already? Where is she?"

Ritsu rolled her eyes.

"What are you, in elementary school? Show a little restraint. Besides, you'll see her any minute, once the lights come up."

Mugi rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

"Oh, this is so exciting! I can't wait to see them finally play live. They've been working so hard."

"I wish you hadn't said all those things to the press, Yui," Mio interjected apprehensively. "You basically gave these guys no room to fail."

"Yeah," Ritsu nodded. "No wonder Azusa's feeling the pressure."

"I never would have said what I said unless I meant every word," Yui protested. "I believe in Azuny-…I mean, Azusa. You just wait and see. You two have been in Dubai for the past two weeks, and you didn't get to watch their dress rehearsals. This is going to be an awesome show."

"Everything's been going right for them all week," Mugi confirmed. "They're ready. This is going to be good."

"It is," Sawako agreed. "Azusa-chan and her people have the talent, no doubt. All they have to do is win the crowd over and they're good to go. I believe they can do it."

Mio still seemed doubtful.

"I hope you're right. There are a lot of media reps here, and they're pretty jaded. We didn't have this kind of scrutiny when we got started. I never would have been able to handle it. Azusa's pretty tough, but…geez, I hope they can pull it off."

Yui paid no attention to the anxious bassist. She was too busy staring at the darkened stage, lost in her own thoughts. For the first time in her history as a performer, she felt a tiny tremor of fear, not for herself, of course, but for Azusa. She believed in her girlfriend's talent and ambition, and had done what she could to make this moment possible for her. But even though she had remained outwardly upbeat, deep inside she was worried that Mio just might have a point. It was too late to do anything about it, however, except to trust in Azusa and her band mates to deliver.

Suddenly, Nao's pre-recorded introduction poured from the speakers hanging over Janice's desk, fed into the office from the sound board downstairs. In response, the audience began to clap and cheer. Yui fixed her attention on the right side of the stage, where Azusa had said she would be standing, and waited.

The stage lights snapped on just in time to show Azusa, Tori, and Jun hop into the air, chopping out the downbeat to the first song as they landed. The up-tempo, guitar-driven introduction to _Answer_ appeared to immediately capture the attention of the large contingent of teenage girls in Sakuragaoka uniforms who were clustered in front of the stage, and they began to bounce up and down to the beat as a group, squealing with delight as Tori began the opening verse.

_Lately all I'm worried about  
__Is how other people see me…_

The enthusiasm of the Sakuragaoka students quickly spread through the crowd, and by the end of the second chorus, the entire house floor was a roiling sea of humanity. It was contagious, and Yui found herself bobbing her head and tapping her foot along with everyone else. A movement caught her peripheral vision, and when she turned to look, she saw that Mugi, Mio, Ritsu, and Sawako were all doing exactly the same thing.

At the end of the second chorus, the spotlight hit Azusa as she stepped forward to take her first solo of the evening. Yui was immediately transfixed. She'd noticed in the dressing room that her girlfriend was wearing her hair down, the way Yui liked it best, but it hadn't fully registered because their visit was so rushed. As Azusa shredded her way through eight bars of guitar pyrotechnics, crouching over her Mustang so that her obsidian tresses spilled down over the pastel-yellow top she was wearing, Yui couldn't keep from staring. For the brunette, it was Azusa at her most appealing, on the one hand still so tiny and cute at age 23, but on the other displaying a musical presence that made her seem many times larger than life. It was a combination that quickened Yui's pulse until it seemed as rapid as the beat pattern of Sumire's drum stick on her ride cymbal.

As the solo ended, and Tori began to sing the final verse, the startled Yui realized her breath had begun to fog the glass in front of her face. With a sheepish grin that was more directed at herself than anyone else, she stole a look out of the corner of her eye to make sure no one had seen her panting like an infatuated fangirl. Fortunately, none of the others noticed; their attention was firmly fixed on the stage. Relieved, she turned back to watch the show.

While Azusa was her main focus, for obvious reasons, it didn't mean that Yui was ignoring the other four women. It was impossible to do that, because the group had such excellent chemistry that it seemed to Yui as if they were a single unit. As much as she respected Azusa's playing, her girlfriend was only one-fifth of Steelflower. The band wouldn't be what it was without Sumire's powerful drumming, Nao's intricate tapestry of beats and samples, or Jun's acrobatic bass lines. The focal point, and indeed the glue that held everything together, was Tori's charismatic presence at the front.

"Okay, I have to admit it – they're really cooking tonight," Ritsu grinned as the second number, _Now's the Time,_ came to an end among enthusiastic cheers from the audience. "What a great start."

"They look like they're all having so much fun," Mugi added. "Look, even Nao-chan is smiling."

Yui peered at the black-clad producer, who seemed to her to be as taciturn as usual. She was about to ask how Mugi could tell that Nao's expression was any different from normal when the spotlight turned onto Tori, and the lead singer's upbeat greeting sounded through the house.

"Good evening! The name of this band is Steelflower! How about it, Live Passion? You guys feeling it tonight?"

As the crowd roared their response, Yui noted with approval how relaxed Tori seemed. It was as though she was chatting up a few friends in someone's living room instead of talking to 500 people crammed into one of the largest live houses in Hachiōji. Clearly, she was a seasoned professional, not at all taken aback by playing in front of such a large and boisterous crowd.

"All right then," the lead vocalist continued. "It's our honor to be playing for you tonight. We're a new band, and this is our first public performance. We hope you like our music."

There was more cheering, after which Tori introduced the band members one by one. To Yui's satisfaction, Azusa received the most applause, including a loud, squealing "eeee!" from the Sakuragaoka contingent. As far as she was from the stage, she could still see Azusa's face turn a bright scarlet with embarrassment over the warm reception.

"I'm not going to do much talking tonight," Tori informed the audience. "We want our songs to speak for themselves. I do want to tell you about this next number, though. It's really special for the five of us, because an important friend of ours wrote it for us as a gift. It was her way of showing how much she believes in our band. The song's name is _Wings of an Angel_, and if you've ever been in love – I mean really, truly in love – it will speak to your heart."

With that, Tori launched into the opening guitar riff, her Gibson singing out in all its overdriven, full-chorus glory. After four bars, her powerful rhythm line was joined by Azusa's graceful obbligato, and another four bars later they were joined by others as Tori began the first verse.

_A single word from you is enough  
__To send my heart flying through the clouds…_

Just hearing Tori sing the words she'd poured her heart and soul into set off a chain reaction of emotions within Yui. This was more than just another song on Steelflower's set list; it was _her_ song, the one she'd intended as a love letter to Azusa. Not only did Nao's arrangement emphasize the passion in the lyrics, but Tori's crystal-clear mezzo-soprano, and the sheer intensity of her delivery, reached deeply into Yui's soul. _She's singing it for Jun-chan, just like I told her to,_ the brunette exulted. _That's why it's so heartfelt…and so beautiful…this is just how I imagined it would sound…_

_Your love lifts me up  
__Like the wings of an angel…_

After the second chorus, Azusa began her solo. She didn't once look at her instrument, playing solely by feel as the sound of her Mustang soared over the musical foundation the rest of the band had laid down. Despite the glare of the stage lights, her eyes remained fixed on the window to Janice's office. To Yui, it seemed almost like they were making eye contact. She took it as a sign that Azusa was playing for her personally, just as she had promised before the concert, as though the strains of her guitar were sounding a wordless "I love you" meant only for Yui to hear. In unconscious response, the brunette reached out her hand, palm against the glass, as if she could somehow touch the woman who was clearly pouring her love for Yui into every majestic note.

As the final chord died away, the house erupted in storm of applause. It wasn't the usual screeching cacophony of a party-minded rock concert crowd, but the sustained appreciation of an audience who had connected with the performers on a fundamental level. In stark contrast, the office was deathly quiet for several moments as each of the five observers processed what they'd just witnessed. Finally, Sawako's voice broke the silence.

"Listen to that crowd," the manager crowed with a broad smile. "I don't think we need to worry about these guys. They're going to be just fine."

"Yui, promise me you'll write more songs like this," Ritsu begged, as Mio and Mugi nodded their agreement. "Make the next one for HTT, though."

As Yui gazed down at the stage, Azusa looked up again, and the brunette caught the briefest flash of a smile. It was meant for her, Yui knew, and at that moment, she was prouder of Azusa, and more in love with her, than she'd ever been.

"Don't worry, Ricchan. I've got a lot more songs coming."

* * *

_5/27/2016, 11:07 pm  
__Yui's Suite, The Carriage House, Kotobuki Family Estate, Naganumamachi 598, Hachiōji_

The after-party dragged on far longer than Azusa would have liked, delaying her plan to have Yui all to herself. Although she and the other members of Steelflower were in the mood to celebrate after their successful gig, from the moment she'd arrived at the Carriage House, the friends and family who were there to share their triumph had descended on her, determined to offer their praise and congratulations. There had been precious little time to relax as person after person, from her proud parents to Nao's star-struck quadruplet brothers, claimed their share of her attention. To make matters worse, she and Yui had barely had time to say "hello," let alone have a conversation.

Now, after two and a half hours of socializing, Azusa was physically and emotionally exhausted, and desperately in need of some time alone with Yui. Fortunately, the party broke up before midnight, mostly because the suburban trains were about to stop running. After the last of the guests had left, Azusa caught Yui's eye, and with quiet thanks to Mugi for her hospitality, the two slipped away and headed upstairs.

The moment the door to the suite closed behind them, Yui pulled Azusa into her arms. After an emotionally draining night, the brunette's warm embrace was just what she needed. Instinctively, she wound her arms around Yui's neck, brushing her lips gently over her lover's in a soft kiss that was not only an act of affection, but an expression of relief that they were finally by themselves.

"That was worth waiting all night for," Yui breathed as their lips parted. "You taste a bit like champagne."

"So do you."

"I think I want more," Yui decided.

This time, the kiss was much more urgent, and Azusa couldn't help but respond eagerly, as she always did when Yui kissed her like this. For a fleeting moment, she considered yielding to the desire welling up inside her by dragging Yui to the bedroom, but her sense of propriety killed the impulse.

"Hey, we need to take a bath first."

Yui's objection came as no surprise.

"But I want you now."

"We're both covered in live house stink," Azusa countered. "Besides, I'm sore from doing all that jumping around during the show, and I could use a good soak in hot water. We've got all night, so there's no rush. Come on, I'll wash your back."

After a moment, Yui grinned.

"It's a deal."

With that, the two women headed for the bathroom. There wasn't much talking as they shared the showerhead, washing each other's backs while waiting for the spacious, two-person tub to fill. The brief shower was refreshing, but it wasn't until Azusa settled into the steaming tub with Yui that she could feel the knots in her muscles begin to untie themselves.

"Now _this_ is perfect," she sighed contentedly, leaning back against Yui, who slipped her arms around Azusa's waist. For a long moment, neither woman said anything as they allowed the hot water to work its magic.

"You were magnificent tonight," Yui told her, finally breaking the comfortable silence. "All five of you were. But especially you."

Smiling at Yui's compliment, Azusa trailed her fingertips over the forearms that were resting on her stomach. As much as she liked it when her lover praised her, for Yui to say good things about Azusa and her playing was something she'd been doing for years. What she really wanted was Yui's honest professional opinion, something she hadn't been able to get during the party.

"So…what did you think about the band? What did you like about the show? How about the music?"

"You guys were so cool!" Yui enthused. "You were just as good as I told the press you were going to be."

It was a bit too vague for Azusa's taste, so she pressed for something more specific.

"Geez, you always say things like that. Stop worrying about being polite, okay? We're lovers. You can speak your mind to me, and give me real feedback, even if it's negative. You're a successful pro, and you know what works. There's got to be something we can do better, right?"

There was silence for several seconds, as Yui mulled over Azusa's question.

"As far as the technical stuff, like with the arrangements and the sound and that kind of thing, you'll have to ask Mugi-chan and Mio-chan. They've always had a better sense of those things than I have. Sure, musical talent's important, but it'll only get you so far in this business. I care just as much about a band's ability to connect with me as I do about their music. Ricchan's the same way. A band has to excite us, pull us in, and hold our interest. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does," Azusa answered with a chuckle. "You both have pretty short attention spans, and that makes it even tougher."

Yui pretended to grumble, although Azusa could hear the smile in her voice.

"Azunyan is so mean to me. Geez. The fact that you're right just makes it worse. I must fight back to regain my dignity."

Her fingers dug into Azusa's ribs, causing the smaller woman to convulse with laughter before she managed to yank Yui's hands away.

"Hey, quit that! No fair tickling!"

"Sorry," Yui replied remorsefully. "I'll be good, I promise." She returned her arms to their place, lightly kissing the back of Azusa's neck as a sort of peace offering. Azusa shivered at the softness of Yui's lips on her skin. As tempting as it was to turn and claim those lips with her own, she somehow resisted.

"Back to what you were saying…"

"Ooh, right. Feedback. Anyway, like I said, a band has to hold my interest, and you guys did that for the whole show. I felt so much energy when you played, and I just couldn't stop moving. You looked like you were having a blast on stage. It was almost as much fun between songs as it was when you were playing. Tori-san's a really smooth MC, and she's really funny, too. I like how she and Jun-chan were going back and forth. The crowd was eating it up. I know I certainly was."

Azusa snorted.

"It was just like rehearsal, except they weren't joking about sex. You've heard them when they get going. Thank heaven it wasn't like that tonight."

"Still, they're really good together," Yui shrugged. "Jun-chan's harmony fits so well with Tori-san's lead vocals. It reminds me of when I sing with Mio-chan. It's more than that, though. They're kind of like Mio-chan and Ricchan with that _manzai_ thing they've got going, only not as violent. They had the crowd laughing between numbers, and I really liked that. Of course, that's probably because I try to do the same thing at our own shows. Anyway, it's the best thing we could have done for Steelflower, getting those two together. Their feelings for each other really showed in the performance."

Her arms tightened around Azusa's waist just a bit.

"And so did your feelings for me," she continued, nuzzling her cheek against the side of Azusa's head. "I could feel it through the entire show. It was like we were connected somehow. I could see you looking up at me. Could you really see me through the lights?"

"I could only make out vague outlines," Azusa admitted. "I was looking for you, though, and I was playing for you, too, just like I said I would. I wanted you to feel what I was feeling. I wanted to touch your heart. Did it work? I wanted you-…ohhh…"

Her words trailed off when Yui nibbled gently on her ear.

"It worked perfectly," the brunette declared in a husky whisper. "I couldn't keep my eyes off you. And when you soloed during _Wings of an Angel_…I've never wanted you more than right then. It's like you were making love to me with your guitar playing, for the entire show. Even now, just thinking about it…I'm getting chills. And now we're alone, and we've bathed…and I can't wait anymore, Azunyan. I've got to have you…right now…"

As Yui traced her tongue traced gently along the edge of Azusa's ear, then behind it and down her neck to the pulse point, Azusa's eyelids fluttered closed. It was almost like she was melting, dissolving completely in the warm water, and as Yui's hands began to wander, the fire within her threatened to escalate into a raging inferno. When the brunette's fingers glided across her lower abs between her navel and her mound – one of her most sensitive spots – Azusa almost lost her grip on reality completely. With her one remaining shred of conscious thought, she forced the words out.

"Not…here…in…the bed…"

After they scrambled out of the tub and hurriedly dried themselves off, Yui practically dragged Azusa to the bedroom. It was obvious that she was expecting to lead, as was usual during their lovemaking, and she wasted no time, yanking down the bed covers and flopping onto the mattress, reaching out her hand in a silent request for Azusa to join her. Normally, the smaller woman wouldn't hesitate, because she felt so secure with Yui guiding her, but tonight suddenly seemed different. She was seized with the desire to be the one to please Yui, to give back to her, as she had tried to do with her guitar playing earlier that evening.

"You know how you said I was making love to you with my music?"

"Yeah?" Yui replied, looking up at Azusa in momentary confusion.

"Well, you were right, and now I want to finish what I started."

Slowly, she pushed Yui onto her back, crawling into position over the brunette until they were eye to eye. Her hair, which she had left loose after the bath, hung down around Yui's face, forming a damp, obsidian-colored curtain around them. The brunette did not resist, nor did she even speak; she merely gazed up at the woman bridged over her with such intense desire that Azusa was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to touch her. Leaning her weight on her free hand, she began to run the other across the toned body that she had come to know so intimately over the past two months. Yui's skin was soft and smooth, and the mere act of touching it, and of watching her lover shiver and arch her back in response, was intoxicating. Slowly, Azusa traced a path over Yui's sides and stomach to her breasts, gently squeezing the firm flesh and earning an appreciative gasp for her effort.

"Azunyan…I need you…please…"

Azusa responded by lowering her face to Yui's. As their lips met, her hand trailed down over Yui's abs and directly to her core, swiping back and forth through the wetness. With a shudder, the brunette whimpered into her mouth, spreading her thighs and pushing her hips upward, seeking more contact. As she pulled out of the kiss, Azusa briefly considered teasing her girlfriend in return for all those nights where Yui had held her just short of climax until she was ready to die of frustration. The thought passed, however, chased away by the pleading in her lover's eyes. She knew that look well; it meant that Yui wanted Azusa inside her, and quickly. There was no way she was going to refuse, and no thought of focusing on the journey instead of the destination. Her only thought was to worship the body and soul of this woman she was bound to, and to give her the release she craved. Not wanting to keep Yui waiting any longer, she entered her in one smooth thrust. A cry burst from the surprised brunette's throat at the sudden invasion.

"Oh, God!"

_Wow, Yui, you're tighter than usual,_ Azusa marveled in a one-sided mental conversation. _And wetter than wet. You're already this close? You won't last long, so I have to make this count. I want this to be the best ever…I want you to have no doubts about how much I love you…_

Azusa began to move her fingers in and out in a relentless rhythm. Quivering and writhing in response, Yui ran her hands all over her lover's back and breasts and through her hair, moving her hips to match the tempo Azusa had set. With each stroke, the brunette grunted with pleasure as her molten insides clung to the invading digits. She thrust her breasts upward, arching her back, undulating her slender body beneath her lover's as the two women moved together in a sensuous ballet of pleasure. It was almost too much for Azusa. The delicious tension of arousal began to build within her as Yui pressed up against her, and it made her thrusts more insistent, turning Yui's grunts to moans.

Finally, as Azusa's fingertips dragged repeatedly over that most sensitive of spots deep within, she felt Yui's insides begin to clench and flutter, a signal that her climb to release was nearing its end. As the trembling woman teetered on the knife edge of climax, she urged Azusa on almost desperately.

"I'm so close! Faster! Harder! Oh, God…Azunyan, don't stop!"

Determined to push Yui to her peak as quickly as she could, Azusa began to rock her hand rapidly back and forth, grinding her thumb mercilessly against her lover's pleasure center. After only a few more seconds, Yui's breath caught in her throat, her mouth frozen into a silent "O" of pleasure as the climax blasted through her. Her entire body flexed, locking into place as if it was carved in stone, and her insides clamped down on Azusa's fingers so hard that it was all the smaller woman could do to keep them moving. Finally, she went limp, using the last of her strength to pull Azusa down on top of her.

The two women stayed that way for several minutes, skin on skin, basking together in the afterglow without moving or speaking. As Azusa waited for Yui to recover, she contented herself with listening to the comforting sound of her lover's heartbeat as it gradually slowed down to normal. The orgasm had been almost as satisfying for her as it clearly had been for Yui, at least on an emotional level, because she had sensed total communion between them at the key moment. To lie close to Yui after reaffirming their spiritual bond like this was sheer bliss.

The fact that she hadn't climaxed herself didn't matter that much, because pleasing Yui had been her first priority. Still, she could feel the evidence of her own unfulfilled need in the form of the dampness between her thighs and the lingering tightness deep inside her. During the next round, she would see to it that Yui touched her in return, so that they could experience release together. She was about to get things started by trailing her lips across Yui's chest when the brunette suddenly spoke.

"I get it."

The statement seemed to come from out of the blue. After such intensely passionate lovemaking, Azusa expected to hear Yui's usual expression of love, or at least that she felt fulfilled. But "I get it"? Still, it was Yui speaking, and Azusa knew well that even though her statement appeared random on the surface, there was a purpose behind it.

"Get what?" she prompted.

"What you were hinting at in the dressing room…what you were saying to me through Muttan…and what you showed me just now. I get what you were trying to tell me, even though you didn't actually put it into words."

"And that was…?"

"How much you love me. Yeah, your show was awesome tonight, and yeah, I believe Steelflower's going to be successful, but in the end, that's not what's important. I believe in our Budokan dream, but even if it never comes true, we'll still have each other. Azunyan loves me, and I love her…that's what matters more than anything else."

The straightforward statement hit Azusa squarely in her heart, and for a moment she was afraid she might cry. It was humbling, in a good way, to have a lover who could read her so easily, and who in some ways knew her better than she knew herself. She fought off the wave of emotion, and tried to frame a response that would do Yui's sentiment justice.

"I _do_ love you, Yui. 'Forever and ever', remember? Those are more than just words to me."

"Me, too," the brunette murmured, wrapping her arms around Azusa tightly. "Hey, can we stay just like this for a few more minutes? You make a very comfy blanket."

"Yeah, we can," Azusa smiled into Yui's shoulder. "This is perfect."

* * *

_5/28/2016, 11:35 am  
__Yui's Suite, The Carriage House_

Yui stood by the bedside, gazing down at the slumbering Azusa. She had been on her way out of the bedroom, but when she took one last look at her lover, the sight almost made her change her mind about leaving. Azusa's hair flowed freely across the pillow, its obsidian color forming the perfect contrast with the pale skin of her face, which was peaceful in its repose. The blanket and sheet covered only her hips and legs, leaving the delicate curves of her naked upper body exposed for Yui to admire. The sunlight leaking around the window shades bathed her in an almost otherworldly glow, making her look every bit like the angel of Yui's lyrics.

As she stood in silent worship, the brunette felt torn. On one hand, she ached to lie next to Azusa and take her in her arms again, but on the other, the scene before her was so utterly beautiful that it seemed criminal to do anything other than leave it undisturbed. After a moment's indecision, she leaned down to kiss her girlfriend ever so gently on the forehead. Then, steeling her resolve, she turned away, leaving the bedroom without looking back.

As tempted as Yui was to crawl back into bed, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Mugi was expecting her in the studio downstairs, and she was already five minutes late. During the party, Yui had mentioned writing lyrics to several of the keyboardist's melodies, which had led to a spur-of-the-moment decision to get together to do some songwriting. Yui had agreed to it not only because Mugi had seemed so eager, but also because HTT's post-tour break was nearly over, and it was almost time to start work on the new album. Although it would have been nice to while away yet another Saturday morning lying next to Azusa, Yui had no problem with getting back into her routine a couple days early, at least for a few hours while Azusa slept in. After a month-long break, her mind was growing restless. She was overloaded with ideas for lyrics, and as Ritsu had suggested, it was time to partner with Mugi to convert those ideas to actual songs.

Not wanting to keep her band mate waiting any longer than necessary, she tried to pick up the pace, but the simple act of moving around was a chore. Even the shower she'd just taken, which had been completely necessary after the night she and Azusa had spent together, could only do so much. Rather than be annoyed by the lingering soreness, she actually giggled to herself. It was a badge of honor, in a way – a testament to Azusa's aggressive determination as a lover.

Walking gingerly, she managed to make it down the two flights of stairs to the basement studio, pushing through the heavy, soundproofed door with a grunt. The sound of a baby grand piano greeted her as she stepped inside.

Mugi was seated at the keyboard, playing a soft melody Yui didn't recognize. It was more than likely newly-written, which didn't surprise her, because Mugi always seemed to have a tune rolling around in her mind. As always, the keyboardist was a vision of elegance. The glow of the overhead lights reflected off of her long, honey-blonde hair, which cascaded loosely over her shoulders and down the back of her floral print sundress. Yui listened appreciatively as her friend continued to play, swaying back and forth expressively in time to the music, seemingly unaware of the guitarist's presence. After a few moments, the _ojō_ stopped in mid-phrase, jotted some notes on the manuscript paper that was propped up on the piano's music rack, and then turned to Yui.

"Good morning," was her cheery greeting, as if she'd known Yui was there the whole time. She smiled her usual gentle smile, the one Yui had always thought made her look like a princess. "Did you sleep well? I almost had second thoughts about us meeting like this, considering how late you and Azusa-chan got to bed, and…my, my. You're walking kind of funny this morning. It must have been a very busy night."

There was a mischievous glow in her eyes that made even the normally unflappable guitarist blush.

"Ah…er…I slept well enough, but not long enough," Yui offered evasively, hoping Mugi would let the matter drop. "But I really wanted to do this, so I'm glad you didn't cancel. I'm really sorry to keep you waiting, by the way."

"Oh, it's no trouble," Mugi replied airily. To Yui's relief, she made no further comments about her and Azusa. Instead, she motioned to a tea tray that was resting on top of a nearby practice speaker. "Have you eaten?"

Yui eyed the teapot and plate of pastries on the tray.

"Don't mind if I do. You don't have to pour. Just play me something nice to eat by."

As she helped herself, Mugi went back to playing the same melody she'd been working on when Yui arrived.

"Ooh, I really like that," the guitarist complimented between bites. "New tune, huh?"

Mugi nodded without breaking rhythm.

"Yeah. Mio-chan's working on lyrics for it. The final arrangement will be more up-tempo than this, though."

After finishing her second pastry, Yui pulled her Gibson out of its case and tuned it, then contented herself with sipping tea and listening to Mugi play. After a while, the pianist stopped to make more written adjustments to the score in front of her, then put her pencil aside and sighed deeply.

"I still can't get over last night's show. It was absolutely wonderful. Have you read any of the early reviews, yet? Most won't be online until tomorrow, but there are a few that went up overnight."

As she was speaking, Yui was searching the pockets of her jeans, looking unsuccessfully for her phone.

"Crap. I must have left my cell upstairs. Mugi-chan, lend me yours, okay?"

Mugi tapped at her phone's display, then passed it to Yui. The brunette read the title on the screen out loud.

"'_Kawaii_ Rock: New Girl Band from Hachiōji Turns Heads.' What outlet is this from?"

"That's the _Arupejio_ review," Mugi explained. "Jun-chan's editor wrote it. He covered the show personally, it seems."

"I can see why he wouldn't let Jun-chan write about her own band," Yui mused. She skimmed the review, reading bits and pieces out loud with a growing sense of satisfaction.

"'…the new group, heavily hyped by the likes of Hirasawa Yui of the award-winning j-rock outfit HTT, made its debut at Live Passion in Hachōji last night, and did not disappoint…intriguing combination of idol unit and j-rock power quintet…lead vocalist Takeda Natsumi is a revelation…bassist and _Arupejio _contributor Suzuki Jun plays with joyous abandon…Already a fixture on the West Tōkyō music scene, Saitō Sumire is an imperious presence behind the drums…Okuda Nao, one of Sunrise Animation's team of hot, young producers, adds an intriguing dimension to Steelflower's sound that reminds one of the American group Incubus at their peak…' Hey, Mugi, listen to this! 'On the strength of last night's performance, Steelflower's lead guitarist Nakano Azusa, an early member of HTT and a longtime close friend of Hirasawa, may be Japan's answer to Australia's Orianthi. It makes one wonder why HTT let someone this talented slip through their fingers…' This is an awesome review! I can't wait to show it to Azusa."

"It _is_ a good review," Mugi concurred. "There are others – just check the bookmarks in my browser app. They're a really good band, Yui-chan. It's only a matter of time before they get signed, at least to an indie contract. Sawa-chan's working on it. It was a risky move on your part, going to the press like that, but I think it worked."

The blonde sat for a moment, lost in thought, before continuing.

"Hey, Yui-chan…I've been doing a lot of reminiscing this morning. That writer for_ Arupejio_ isn't the only one who's wondering what might have been if Azusa-chan had come back to HTT when she got to college. When the five of us were together…those were wonderful days. Sometimes I wish I could travel back in time to relive it all. Things were so carefree back then. Innocent."

"We've been over this so many times over the past five years," Yui patiently reminded her. "Azusa came to JWU to be with the four of us, but when we asked her to come back to HTT, she decided she couldn't walk away from Ui and Jun-chan, remember? They didn't want to play without her. Azusa would have joined HTT if I'd insisted, but I couldn't do it. It would have hurt Ui. But you know all this, so…yeah."

At the mention of Ui's name, a look of pain flashed across Mugi's fair features.

"What do you hear from her these days?" the blonde asked, speaking carefully and avoiding Yui's eyes. "From Ui-chan, I mean."

Yui immediately regretted bringing her sister into the conversation. She should have remembered that anything to do with Ui was a sore subject for Mugi, as it had been over two years. After all this time, she still wasn't sure exactly what had happened between the two women, except that there was a point right before the HTT girls' graduation from JWU when their extraordinarily close friendship had abruptly cooled. Neither Ui nor Mugi would give Yui any details, probably because they didn't want her to get caught in the middle, so she swallowed her concerns and did her best to stay out of it.

"Nothing's stopping you from calling her, you know," she gently remonstrated. "I could always give you her number."

Sadness dulled Mugi's normally sparkling eyes.

"It would be…awkward, even after all this time. Oh, dear, listen to me. It's like I'm in junior high school."

She laughed, but Yui knew it was just for show.

"To answer your question, I haven't heard from her in several days," she told the blonde. "That's not surprising, given how much trouble Miyashiro-san gives her for talking to me. Still, I tried to call last night to tell her about the show, but she wouldn't pick up, and she didn't answer my emails, either. That was weird. Usually, Friday is the one day she's free, because that's when that guy goes drinking with his buddies. But it's not like this hasn't happened before. I'll give her a couple days, then try again."

"I'm sorry for even bringing it up," Mugi replied, plastering on a fake smile and speaking a bit more brightly than was natural. "Hey, why don't we get to work? You said you wrote some lyrics, right? Which tunes?"

"Let's work on the one you played for me on Monday first," Yui answered, working through the first couple bars of the chorus' melody on her Gibson as a reminder.

"Oh, yeah, that one. You want to play and sing by yourself, or do you want to sing along with me?"

"Let me do it," Yui decided. She strummed through the first four bars of changes as a sort of make-shift introduction before launching into the first verse.

_Cherry blossoms falling around us  
__Your hands are warm in mine  
__Please tell me that this good-bye isn't a farewell  
__And that our bond will stay unbroken…_

The lyrics were based on a bittersweet memory: the day of Yui's graduation from JWU, when she and Azusa were facing their second separation in four years. Unlike her final day at Sakuragaoka, she had cried along with Azusa, because it looked very much like their lives were going in completely different directions. Although the two women ultimately overcame the challenge, reminiscing about the experience still generated complicated emotions within Yui that found their way into the lyrics, and in turn into the performance.

…_I can't leave these memories behind  
__They're engraved on my soul, never to be forgotten  
__Even if we part now, you'll always be with me…_

When Yui finished singing, Mugi sat quietly for several seconds as if in deep thought. There was a look of sadness and regret on her face.

"It isn't…bad, is it?" Yui ventured, unsure what to make of her reaction.

"No, no, I really like it," Mugi quickly assured her. "It's just…what's the word I'm looking for? Wistful. I could tell it was about you and Azusa-chan and college graduation. I'm still carrying a lot of regret from that time, and the lyrics brought it back, that's all."

If there was one thing Yui didn't want to do with her songwriting, it was to make anyone sad. That went especially for Mugi.

"Then we won't use it. I'll rewrite it…"

"No," the _ojō_ interrupted, her tone unusually firm. "It's beautiful as it is. Remember what I told you about composing music? Write your feelings, and leave the listener to sort out their own. My reaction to your lyrics is my problem, not yours. So don't worry about me, okay? Besides, the fact that the words affected me so deeply says a lot."

Yui nodded, at a loss for how to respond. After a moment, the blonde cleared her throat, and the plastered-on smile was back.

"It looks like we've got a really good song here," she declared approvingly. "Mio-chan and Ricchan are going to love it. To think you were holding back on us all these years."

"Oh, you're being too kind," Yui protested, glad that the suddenly heavy atmosphere had at least partially lifted. "It's not so much talent as it is inspiration."

"Of course, there are a couple of spots we need to polish, but it's otherwise very good. I'm thinking a slow, almost acoustic arrangement. You could play your acoustic, and we could write the drum part for Ricchan's congas instead of her drum set. She's been asking to use them more. What do you think?"

"That all sounds great," Yui agreed. "Now, what about those tweaks we need to make?"

Before Mugi could answer, the studio door pushed open. It was the valet on duty, holding wireless handset to the house phone.

"I'm very sorry for intruding, Tsumugi-ojōsama," he intoned formally, bowing deeply to Mugi. "However, there is a phone call for Hirasawa-sama from Suzuki Jun-sama. She insists on speaking with Hirasawa-sama immediately. She claims it is an emergency."

Yui and Mugi looked at each other in surprise. It was unlike Jun to do something like this. With a sudden surge of apprehension, Yui returned the valet's bow, reaching out her hand for the phone.

"Thank you," she mouthed before speaking into the handset. "Hey, hey, Jun-chan! What's up?"

"Don't you 'hey, hey, Jun-chan' me!" came the furious response. "Don't you people ever answer your goddamned cell phones over there?"

"Um, Jun-chan, hold on a second…" Yui gulped, taken aback by her friend's aggressiveness. "Geez, there's no need to be nasty. I'm in the studio with Mugi-chan, and I don't have my cell phone with me. What's going on?"

The anger faded from Jun's voice, leaving behind only worry.

"I'm really sorry, Yui-san. I'm at my wits' end here. Ui just called me because she couldn't get through to you or Azusa. She sounded really upset, like she'd been crying. I tried to get her to tell me what's going on, but she wouldn't do it. You need to call her as soon as possible. She said if she doesn't pick up, keep trying. Don't bother with email. She needs to talk to you…and I mean right now."

The metallic taste of fear rose in the back of Yui's throat. For Ui to go to these lengths to contact her meant something was terribly wrong.

"Oh, my God. Thanks, Jun-chan. I'd better go."

"Wait!" Jun exclaimed before Yui had the chance to hang up. "Could you or Azusa please call me when you find out what's going on? Call Tori if I don't answer. Please, don't forget. I'm worried sick."

"We will," Yui promised as she ended the call. As she handed the handset back to the waiting valet, she turned to Mugi.

"Ui's been trying to get in touch with me. Something's happened. Sorry to run out like this, but I need to get my cell and call her. I'd call from here, but I can never remember her number."

The blonde's already pale complexion turned two shades paler.

"Oh, my God, no. Yui-chan, what can I do? If it's Ui-chan…"

"Just sit tight until I get to the bottom of this," Yui called over her shoulder as she ran out the door. Her earlier discomfort was forgotten as she took the stairs two at a time, focusing only on getting in touch with Ui as soon as she could.

It didn't take her long to find her phone, which was sitting next to Azusa's on the coffee table in the sitting room. The alert lights on both units were blinking, which was no surprise since Jun had said Ui was trying to reach them both. Yui tapped at her phone's screen, and found that there were six missed calls and an email, which she promptly opened.

_Onē-chan, I tried to call, but you're not answering. Please, I need to talk to you. It's an emergency. Hurry!_

At that precise moment, Azusa came stumbling through the bedroom doorway wearing only a bathrobe. Her face wore the shell-shocked expression of someone forcibly awakened from a deep sleep.

"Yui, what the hell? Making all this noise…"

The brunette cut her off in mid-sentence.

"No time. Ui's in some sort of trouble. I'll explain later."

She found her sister's name in her contacts list and pressed the "call" button. To her relief, Ui picked up on the first ring.

"O…onē-ch…chan?" Ui's voice sounded strange, and there was a lot of background noise. The alarm bells already going off in Yui's head cranked up to maximum volume.

"Ui?"

"Oh, Onē-chan! Thank God you called!" There was the unmistakable sound of a suppressed sob.

"Ui…please, don't cry…"

More sobbing.

"Ui! Pull yourself together and tell me what's going on! Where are you?"

"Sh-…Shin-Yokohama S-…station," Ui finally sniffled.

"What? You're in Yokohama? Why?"

Ui's words came in a rush.

"Sorry I didn't call earlier. I had to leave. I had to get out of Fukuoka as fast as I could. I'm due to arrive at the JapanRail station in Hachiōji at 12:53. Please say you'll meet me. I don't want to be by myself when I get there. Please, Onē-chan! Promise me! Please!"

The anguish in her voice was like nothing Yui had ever experienced. For as long as she could remember, Ui had always been level-headed and cheerful, and she had to think hard to come up with a memory of her sister being even slightly annoyed. But this side of Ui was so far removed from Yui's experience that it was terrifying. She took deep breaths, trying to keep her self-control in the face of the onslaught of emotions pouring through her phone. No matter how much she was reeling, deep inside she knew she couldn't – mustn't – allow Ui to sense how much she was panicking right then.

"It's okay," she soothed, managing to keep her voice steady despite the wave of nausea rising within her. "I promise I'll be there waiting. You won't be alone, not with Yui to take care of you. Now, tell me what's going on, okay?"

"I…I can't. Not over the phone. But it's bad, Onē-chan. And there's something important I need to tell you. I'm not…well. Physically, I mean. I had to go to the emergency room last night. They told me I shouldn't travel, but…I just had to get away as soon as I could. I think the train ride may have been too much for me. You might need to take me to a doctor."

Yui gasped, then her eyes narrowed with sudden realization.

"What did that bastard do to you?" she hissed, paying no attention to Azusa's look of shock at her unexpectedly rough language.

"Not now," Ui repeated. "I'll tell you when you meet me. 12:53. Please be there, okay, Onē-chan?"

"I will," Yui promised, her voice suddenly cracking. "Hang in there, Ui."

"Getting on the train now. See you in a while."

The line went dead. Trembling, Yui turned to face the ashen-faced Azusa, her mind filled with visions of Ui wrapped in bandages and crying tears of pain. The thought that it might be possible nearly broke her.

"My God…is she okay?" the smaller woman squeaked. "Please tell me she's all right."

"No, she isn't," Yui replied, her voice tight as she fought valiantly to keep from unraveling completely. "She's on a train for Hachiōji. And she's hurt – I don't know what's wrong, or how bad it is. We need to go meet her. Get dressed. I'll see if Nakayama can drive us."

* * *

**A/N:**

− Thanks to my ever-patient editor, Musician74, for beta-reading this chapter, and for never failing to insist that I give my best effort.

− Thanks also to anonymous reviewers Derp, MioAzusa1991, Rin, and Anon for sticking with this fanfic, and for their feedback.

− The lyrics for the song _Answer_ are quoted directly from Houkago Translations' English scanlation of Volume 6, Chapter 5 of the _K-On!_ manga. I own neither the translated lyrics (which belong to Houkago Translations) nor the original Japanese version (which is the property of Kakifly and Hōbunsha). All other lyrics are original.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	9. Chapter 9: Refugee

_**WARNING! This story is rated M **_because of the strong lesbian theme throughout, and because there are occasional explicit depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative (although not in every chapter). Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

_**NOTE ON FORMATTING:**_ Even though this story is written in English, the characters' default language is understood to be Japanese. [Bracketed text like this denotes that the words are either spoken or thought in English.] Internal monologue, written/electronic communications, and song lyrics are _italicized_.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Refugee**

_5/28/2016, 12:48 pm  
__Aboard the JapanRail Yokohama Line Rapid, Leaving Hachiōji-Minamino Station_

As the train pulled out of the station, Miyashiro Ui huddled against the window next to her seat, staring vacantly out of it at the passing cityscape. A late-spring rain poured out of the overcast sky, beating relentlessly against the side of the carriage, but she wasn't really paying attention to it, or indeed to much of anything else around her, except for the pleasant, feminine voice sounding from the loudspeaker overhead.

"The next station is Hachiōji. The next station is Hachiōji. The doors will open on the right side. Please change here for the following lines…"

The announcement was a signal that in five minutes or so, the agony of Ui's hours-long train trip from Fukuoka would finally end. It was none too soon. She was woozy, her head was pounding, and she could no longer ignore the cramping ache that gnawed at her left side. Her swollen left eye, which she could barely see out of, throbbed mercilessly, and its patched-up eyebrow stung as if jolts of electricity were running through it. The medicine they had given her at the emergency room would have helped greatly, but she was afraid of falling asleep on the train and missing her stop, so there was nothing for it but to grit her teeth and push through the pain until she could get to Yui.

Yui would be her refuge.

The condition of her face kept drawing speculative stares from the other passengers. It made her feel dirty, as if the entire incident – indeed, everything that had gone so horribly wrong over the past 13 months – was all her fault.

To avoid the curious glances, she kept her head down, focusing on the single roll-away suitcase that held what little she'd brought with her from Fukuoka. There hadn't been time to pack anything more, because she'd had to leave town quickly to get away from the man who had inflicted these injuries on her: her husband, Miyashiro Yasuhisa.

The previous night, he had been out drinking with his business colleagues, as was usual for a Friday. To pass the time, Ui had been practicing with her acoustic guitar, the custom Yamaha that Yui had given her as a college graduation present. Yasu had let her bring the guitar with her to Fukuoka on the condition that she never play it in front of him, and to this point, she'd been very careful not to do so. Unfortunately, he came home earlier than she'd expected, and caught her in the act. She was so absorbed in the music that she hadn't even heard him come in.

In his drunken rage, he tore her guitar out of her hands and smashed it to splinters as she looked on in horror. He cursed her for playing it, cursed Yui for giving it to her, cursed their strong bond as sisters, and cursed the music that was Ui and Yui's shared passion.

And then he punched her in the face, and everything went dark.

The next thing she knew, she was on the floor, her head spinning. There was blood everywhere – _her_ blood. As she was lying there helpless, he kicked her in the side for good measure before staggering over to the sofa and collapsing into a stupor. Somehow she managed to call 119, but after that, everything was a blur. All she could remember was police officers dragging Yasu off to jail as the paramedics swarmed over her, shining lights in her eyes and poking needles into her.

At the emergency room, she was told she had a mild concussion, a blow-out fracture of her eye orbit, a deep laceration to her eyebrow, and a bruised spleen. That's what the paperwork said, anyway. She didn't really remember her actual conversation with the doctor, other than that he told her she was lucky Yasu was drunk and not in full control of his body. The damage could have been a lot worse, he said.

After the doctor was done with her, the prefectural police detective who took Ui's statement told her that because Yasu had no criminal record and his family was so influential, he would likely be allowed to post bail as soon as he sobered up, despite the seriousness of the charges against him. Without a court order, no one could keep him away from her. The thought that he could be released so soon was frightening. As the doctor had suggested, if he had hurt her so badly while drunk, then what would he do to her if he was sober? Ui didn't intend to wait around to find out.

Against medical advice, she checked herself out of the hospital, gathered a few belongings, withdrew what little cash there was in her household checking account, and bought a ticket on the next bullet train for Tōkyō. Instinctively, she ran to the one person she could count on for protection.

Yui.

The train pulled into Hachiōji Station and ground to a halt. Feeling as though she was strapped with lead weights, Ui dragged her suitcase through the open carriage door, wincing as her fellow passengers bumped and jostled her in their hurry to disembark. She trudged wearily along the platform, glad that it was indoors and sheltered from the pouring rain, all the while scanning the crowds around her, looking for Yui.

_Onē-chan, where are you? I need you to be here, more than anything!_

By the time she reached the station's main concourse, she was fighting the temptation to panic. There was no way Yui had forgotten her, she reassured herself. If she was late, there had to be good reason. The sensible thing, she decided, was to try to call her sister to tell her she'd arrived. While she was rummaging around in her purse looking for her cell phone, however, her search was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Ui."

At the sound of her name, she looked up at the woman who had suddenly stepped in front of her. The leather jacket, scarf, and tinted glasses might have fooled most observers, but not Ui. There was no mistaking her beloved sister's voice. It was burned into her earliest memories, and lately it had spoken to her in her dreams, urging her to be strong.

"Onē-chan…oh, God, I'm sorry…" she quavered, unable to say anything more. All she could do was stand there gazing at Yui, oblivious to the stares of the passersby, as the tears she thought had finally run dry suddenly returned with a vengeance.

Her face white with shock, Yui slowly, gently, reached out a trembling hand toward Ui's battered face, stopping just short of touching it, as if she was afraid of injuring her further.

"Ui…what's happened to you? That bastard…what's he done to my precious little sister?"

With that, she swept Ui into an embrace. It was such a relief to be back in her sister's arms…at least until they wound around her waist and squeezed. It felt like someone was driving a spear into her side, and her knees buckled in response to the searing agony.

"Too…tight…Onē-chan…" she groaned.

"Dammit," Yui apologized, releasing Ui and helping her regain her balance. "You're hurt. Here, let me help you out of traffic."

Still wobbling on unsteady legs, she allowed Yui to tow her out of the sea of train travelers toward a nearby bench. As they approached, the three women who had been sitting on it slowly rose to their feet. One, tall and beautiful, Ui didn't recognize. The others, however, were a sight for sore eyes.

"Azusa-chan…Jun-chan…"

Gaping in stunned disbelief, Azusa stood frozen in place; her mouth worked, but she seemed unable to form words to answer. Jun, however, couldn't contain her rage.

"That son of a bitch!" she hissed. "I'll tear out his throat! I'll-…How could he-…to Ui…" Unable to continue, she buried her face in her hands, and her shoulders began to heave. In response, the unknown woman placed a comforting hand on Jun's shoulder and leaned over to whisper into her ear. Whatever she said appeared to have an almost magical effect, because with a deep, shuddering breath, Jun was back in control, wiping her face on her sleeve.

"Sorry, Ui," she mumbled remorsefully, looking away in embarrassment. "That little outburst…it's like I'm a little kid or something. I didn't mean to make things worse for you."

"It's okay," the younger Hirasawa assured her, clasping her distraught friend's hands affectionately. "You don't know how glad I am to see you, Jun-chan. And Azusa-chan, too. I've missed you both so much."

"We've missed you, too, Ui," Azusa answered quietly. "But to see you like this…I'm really sorry…"

As her petite friend's voice trailed off, Ui merely nodded, afraid she'd cry again if she tried to respond. Instead, she turned her attention to Jun's tall companion. Uncomfortable at showing such weakness in front of a stranger, she eyed the woman warily. Despite her caution, something in her muddled brain told her that this was no casual acquaintance of her sister or friends, and that the woman's presence was anything but random. Ui felt as if she should know her.

"Takeda Natsumi," the woman said somberly, seemingly reading Ui's mind. "Please, call me Tori. Nice to meet you."

The light of recognition dawned in Ui's mind. This was Azusa's friend from junior high, the one she had recruited for the new band.

"Miyashiro Ui," she replied, forcing herself to speak the now-detested name. "Nice to meet you, as well. I'm sorry for my appearance. It's just disgraceful."

"Please, it's no problem," was Tori's earnest rejoinder. "You're Jun's important friend, and Yui-san's sister, so it's an honor."

Ui noted her omission of the honorific from Jun's name, then immediately wondered why that should surprise her. As she glanced at her pigtailed friend, who was wrapped around one of Tori's arms, she kicked herself mentally for not remembering sooner that the two women were in a relationship. Then again, she wasn't currently at the peak of her reasoning powers. In fact, she was feeling worse by the minute.

"I didn't mean to overwhelm you with people," Yui apologized. "It's just that I thought you'd like it if we were all here to meet you."

"No, no, it's okay," Ui insisted. "Thank you for bringing them, Onē-chan. It's so good to see everyone again…you have…no…idea…"

Her knees buckled again, and she clutched at her sister in an effort to keep from falling.

"Oh, no!" Yui gasped. "What am I thinking? You need to sit down!"

With Yui and Jun's help, Ui sank to the bench, grateful that she didn't have to stand any longer. She was bone tired, and her injuries hurt to the point that the pain was intruding on her ability to think clearly. The exhausting journey from Fukuoka had finally caught up with her, and she needed medicine and rest. As much as she didn't want Yui to worry, she didn't think she could hide it any longer. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. Instead, the station concourse began to tilt and rotate around her, spinning ever faster by the second.

"Hey, are you okay?" came Yui's anxious question. "Ui? Ui!"

"I'll…be all right…just a bit…lightheaded…"

Even as she said it, she knew it wasn't true. She had reached her limit. As her vision began to tunnel to darkness, she managed to say one last thing.

"Onē-chan…hospital…"

* * *

_5/29/2016, 9:11 am  
__Yui's Suite, The Carriage House, Kotobuki Family Estate, Naganumamachi 598, Hachiōji_

It was one of those mornings where Ui's brain needed to catch up to her body. By the time she finally realized she was awake, her eyes had already been open for some time, staring vacantly at the ceiling. Unsure of where she was at first, she spent a moment or two racking her foggy brain for clues, until the memories of the previous afternoon and evening began to return.

One moment she had been sitting on a bench on the railway station concourse, talking to Yui and the others; the next thing she knew, she was lying on that same bench with four anxious faces hovering over her. That much she remembered clearly, but the images in her mind of what happened afterward were fuzzy. She was dimly aware of being treated at the hospital, and of hearing the words "dehydration" and "exhaustion," but the exact details eluded her. The only other thing she could recall clearly was Yui tucking her into bed and promising to stay nearby while she slept.

Ordinarily, she would have long since been up and about her morning routine, but the mattress was so soft, and the covers so warm, that she was content simply to lie there doing nothing. The lack of motivation was directly related to the pain medication, she knew, but although her rational mind pushed her to get out of bed and clean herself up, her body didn't seem to want to take the advice.

"What time is it?" she wondered aloud, not addressing anyone in particular.

"A little after 9:00."

With effort, Ui rolled over to look at the speaker, who was sitting in the easy chair on the other side of the bedroom.

"Onē-chan!"

Yui rose to her feet with a welcoming smile that instantly bathed Ui in comfort. How she'd missed the sight of her sister's face during her bleak sojourn in Fukuoka.

"Good morning! Man, you sure slept for a long time. That's some pretty serious stuff they've got you on."

Ui yawned and stretched, then sank back against the pillow.

"How long have I been asleep?"

Tapping a finger against her chin, Yui did a bit of mental figuring.

"Let's see…I think it was around 18:00 last night before I finally got you settled. You've been out like a light for about 15 hours."

After taking a second look at Yui, Ui realized that she was still wearing the same clothes she'd had on at the train station.

"Onē-chan , you've been sitting there this entire time?" she gasped.

Yui rubbed the back of her head and giggled sheepishly.

"Well, not exactly. Azusa, Mugi-chan and I all took turns watching you. Azusa's sleeping in one of the guest rooms, and Mugi-chan went back to her own apartment down the hall after her last turn ended. That was, oh…a couple hours ago, I guess. But yeah, when I wasn't in here, I was sleeping on the couch in the other room."

"Ts-tsumugi-san was here?" Ui stammered, hoping Yui wouldn't notice the sudden rush of blood to her cheeks. "Oh, no. She saw me like this, too. I'm so ashamed…"

Yui crossed the room and sat on the side of the bed. With a gentle touch, she smoothed a few stray locks away from Ui's swollen, blackened eye, then continued to stroke her sister's hair tenderly.

"Sure, you look a bit worse for the wear, but come on! After what happened, none of us think any less of you for it. Especially Mugi-chan. She was the only one Azusa and I couldn't talk out of helping us take care of you. You know her – there was no way she was going to take no for an answer, especially because it's you."

At Yui's revelation that Mugi had sat up part of the night with her while she slept, Ui's cheeks got a bit pinker. It was a complication she hadn't foreseen, because in her rush to leave Fukuoka, she had completely forgotten that Yui was living with Mugi. After what had happened between her and Mugi back in college, Ui was so overcome with guilt that she hadn't been able to face the blonde. The only time the two had communicated in over two years was at Ui's wedding reception, and it had been so hard to deal with the hurt in Mugi's eyes on that day that Ui had found it easier simply to cut off contact completely. After Ui had turned her back like that, Mugi had every right to resent her, yet here she was, not only willing but eager to extend Ui a helping hand. To aid someone she was at odds with was exactly the sort of thing Mugi would do, and it heaped further guilt on Ui like a load of hot coals.

Realizing that this line of thinking would only lead her into a death spiral of regret, she decided to change the subject away from Mugi before Yui started asking questions she didn't want to answer. Fortunately, her sister was the type who was easily distracted.

"What about Jun-chan and, uh, what's her name…Takeda-san?"

"Tori-san took Jun-chan home when we left the train station for the hospital. Jun-chan's really struggling over this, and so's Ricchan. She and Mio-chan were here with me for a while last night while you were sleeping. I haven't seen Ricchan get that angry in a long time. It was a little scary."

Ui let out a long, frustrated sigh. Suddenly, she felt weighed down with remorse over making everyone worry. The sense of worthlessness Yasu had beaten into her, literally and figuratively, began to cover her mind again like a black cloud.

"You guys don't need to make such a fuss over me. I'm not worth the trouble."

"No more of that kind of talk," Yui quickly countered, her tone uncharacteristically sharp. "You _are_ worth the trouble. You're my precious Ui, my only little sister. When we were growing up, you were always the one to take care of me, and now I'm going to protect you the way I should have all along. And it goes beyond just me. Azusa, Jun-chan, the girls in the band…everyone you've given so much to, they could never abandon you, not any more than I ever could."

Ui looked away so that Yui couldn't see her fighting back tears.

"Thank you, Onē-chan," she murmured.

"For what?" was Yui's perplexed response.

"For taking me in. For not saying it's my fault. For not judging me for marrying…him."

"It's okay," Yui said soothingly, her fingers stroking Ui's cheek. "We'll get through this. Forget about him for now, and just relax. How are you feeling?"

After dabbing at her eyes with a corner of the sheet – and grunting when she pressed a bit too firmly on her injured eyebrow – Ui took a moment to do a quick inventory. The discomfort from her injuries was barely noticeable, and although she still had a bit of a headache, she felt neither disoriented nor lightheaded. The long hours of uninterrupted sleep, combined with the medication, had helped immensely.

"I'm doing pretty well, certainly better than yesterday. At this point, I just need rest more than anything."

Yui patted Ui's hand encouragingly.

"You certainly look comfortable right now. Geez, you don't know how tempting it was to crawl in next to you. I mean, you looked so lonely in that bed by yourself. But then grown-ups don't do that sort of thing, right? So I just stayed here in the chair in case you needed me."

As childish as it seemed, the thought of them lying in bed together, something they hadn't done since Yui left for college, suddenly appealed very strongly to Ui. Wordlessly, she slid over and pulled down the covers, patting the mattress next to her. Yui looked at her in momentary surprise before climbing into the bed, snuggling against her and wrapping her arm around Ui's waist, taking care to avoid putting weight on her tender left side. Ui wound an arm around Yui's neck and pulled her close, taking comfort in her sister's warmth. Cuddling with Yui for the first time in years made her feel both secure and wanted in a way she never had with Yasu.

It felt so nice to be held like this. For someone like Ui, who like Yui tended to demonstrate her closeness to others through skinship, life with Yasu had been miserable. He had seldom touched her, except when he was physically abusing her, or when they engaged in the uncomfortable and unfulfilling act of submission he referred to as "sex." A single affectionate caress, even if it was platonic, was worth far more to her than hours of lying under a man whose only thought was to please himself.

Neither woman spoke as they lay in each other's arms. For Ui, her sister's mere presence was enough, and she was in no hurry for the moment to end. Unfortunately, before too many minutes had passed, the quiet of the bedroom was disturbed by a loud, growling noise from Ui's stomach. Before she could apologize, Yui giggled.

"Oops! Sounds like someone's hungry. I guess you would be after sleeping for so long. I'm hungry, too. Some of the chef's special miso soup would really hit the spot right now. How about I ask the kitchen to send up some breakfast?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want them to go to the trouble," Ui replied anxiously.

"It's the kitchen staff's job to cook for guests," Yui reminded her as she rolled over and sat up, dangling her legs over the side of the bed. She shot a warning look over her shoulder at Ui. "Don't even think about going down there and fixing your own food. You need to let someone else to do the work for a change. How else are you going to rest?"

With a nod and shrug, Ui capitulated. Yui's logic was unassailable in this case, and besides, she was starving.

"Okay, then, why don't you get washed up while I call downstairs and see what's on this morning's menu?" Yui suggested, although it was really more of an order. "After you're done, I'll jump in the shower. Azusa told me to let her sleep if you woke up early, so it'll be just the two of us."

Ui smiled gratefully up at her older sister.

"Just us? I'd like that. It's been so long."

* * *

It was Ui's first exposure to the cuisine at the Carriage House, and she was unprepared for how good it was. Everything about the traditional Japanese breakfast was perfect, from the rice to the grilled fish. The miso soup, which she had heard Yui praise many times, was unlike any she'd ever tasted. The stock was so rich, and the tofu and shiitake mushrooms added such interesting texture, that she thought about asking the chef to give her some pointers so she could duplicate the recipe in her own kitchen.

Then it hit her: she no longer had a kitchen to prepare meals in. Her days as a homemaker were over, at least for the foreseeable future. She had mixed feelings about that, because although she had been cooking and cleaning for a man who didn't appreciate her efforts, she still got a sense of satisfaction out of keeping a tidy home. To sit around and have someone else do all those things she was accustomed to doing herself felt strange.

With more than a hint of bitterness, she told herself that she might still be cooking breakfast in her own kitchen in Fukuoka, if only she hadn't been so greedy about wanting to play her guitar. If only she'd worked harder to make herself more appealing, or done more to live up to Yasu's expectations. If only she'd taken the time to find a man who truly valued her. If only, if only, if only.

_It's all my fault. I'm so stupid. Who would want the likes of me? No wonder he beat me up._

Yui picked up on her mood shift instantly.

"Are you all right? You look sad again."

"I'll be fine," she answered, shaking her head and forcing a smile. The reaction came almost automatically, conditioned into her from years of shielding her problems from others. Yui, however, was not buying it.

"You're _not_ fine, Ui. I won't let you get away with stuffing everything inside anymore. I can't help unless I know what happened, so why don't you take some time and tell me, okay?"

She led Ui from the table to the sofa, and as the two women sat down next to each other, she took one of Ui's hands in hers. Not only was it a comforting gesture, it was also a silent signal that Yui would still accept her, no matter what sordid details she revealed.

So Ui told the full story of her ordeal, and held nothing back: the constant belittling she had endured, to the point she felt utterly demoralized and helpless; the suffocating control Yasu had imposed on her, and the crushing sense of isolation that came with it; and worst of all, the alcohol-fueled physical violence that had escalated bit by bit until it finally put her in the hospital and made her fear for her life. It was traumatic to let out all the pent-up hurt and anger and shame, but she forced herself to do it, because she wanted Yui to know every detail. By the time she was done, there was a pile of damp, crumpled tissues on the coffee table.

"I felt my only choice was to come here," she finished, staring down at the latest tissue, which she twisted idly in her hands. "But now I've made my problems your problems, and it isn't fair to you. Oh, Onē-chan, I feel so worthless!"

Her lower lip started quivering, a sign that she was perilously close to tears again. She looked up into her sister's face, searching it for a reaction, and saw there not only the reassurance and understanding she so badly needed, but also sadness and anger. After a long moment, the tears filling Yui's eyes finally spilled over, running down her cheeks in long, glistening tracks.

"Why didn't you tell me he was hitting you?" she choked. "Why?"

As Yui threw her arms around her, Ui's frail curtain of composure was instantly torn to shreds. Unable to respond to the question even if she wanted to, she simply clung to her older sister, ignoring the pain that drilled into her side as the sobs wracked her body.

Despite how overwhelming the emotional release was, for Yui to hold her and cry along with her made her feel as though she'd taken the first step toward healing. As Azusa had always said, Yui had the power to make the bad things in this world fade to irrelevance with a single hug. It was certainly true in this case, and the flood of emotion soon ebbed away as Ui rested in Yui's warm embrace.

"I'm really up against it," she finally managed to say as the two women let go of each other and wiped their eyes. "It's humiliating to be so blunt, but I really have no choice. I have maybe ¥10,000 to my name, and not much more than the clothes on my back. I need a permanent place to stay and a job. And I need a lawyer, a really good one, so I can deal with Yasu."

"The first thing we need to do is make sure you're safe," Yui replied. "That's what Azusa said, anyway. She went online last night and found out that if you go the prefectural women's shelter to report what happened, they'll help you apply for an emergency restraining order. We can do that tomorrow morning. As far as a place to stay, this is pretty much it, since Mom and Dad sold the house when they moved to the States. Mugi-chan said she'd set you up in one of the guest rooms."

"Oh, I could never accept that kind of generosity," Ui immediately objected, the blush once again creeping over her cheeks at the mention of Mugi's name. "I'm grateful I got to stay here last night, but Tsumugi-san doesn't need to-…"

Yui cut her off abruptly.

"Ui, stop it. Mugi-chan _wants_ to do this. Like I told you, she insisted on getting involved from the very beginning. When I asked her why she was pushing so hard, all she'd say was that she was trying to make things right. I don't know what that means, because I've stayed out of things between you two, but this is no time to dig up past drama."

Ui knew she was right, but it didn't make her feel any better. She wondered about the blonde's motives. _Why would she want to make things __right? I__ was the one who hurt her, not the other way around. This is just making things more confusing for me._

"Besides, there's something else you should take into account," Yui continued, appearing not to notice Ui's sudden attack of uncertainty. "This compound is one of the safest places to live in Hachiōji. That's why Mio-chan, Ricchan and I live here in the first place, remember? If Miyashiro decides to violate that court order, he'd never be able to get past the Kotobuki security contingent."

The possibility of Yasu coming after her was something Ui hadn't considered, and it sent a thrill of fear through her. Suddenly, dealing with the complicated situation with Mugi seemed a lot less intimidating than facing potential violence from her estranged husband.

"All right, I agree that staying here is the safest option," she conceded. "But what about hiring a lawyer? I couldn't ask you to pay for that. That's why I need to find a job."

"My frugal sister hasn't changed a bit," Yui chuckled. "Mugi-chan's father is going to hook us up with a classmate of his, a really high-powered lawyer. I'll pay the fees. Trust me, Ui, I'm not exactly struggling financially. I learned how to save money from you, of course, and now I have a ton of it. It's just going to sit in my investment account if I don't spend it on something. Besides, since Mom and Dad aren't around, you're my responsibility now that you've left…that guy. You _need_ to let me take care of you."

"But I should at least contribute in some way," Ui protested.

"You'll get your chance," Yui assured her. "We'll need to find you a job, anyway, because otherwise you'll go crazy sitting around doing nothing. But you need to heal first before there's any talk of that. Until then, I've got things covered. I'll buy you all new clothes, a new phone, another acoustic to replace your Yamaha…everything you need. After what you've been through, you're long overdue for some pampering."

With a sigh, Ui capitulated. Yui was simply too determined.

"Thank you, Onē-chan. I'll repay you someday, and Tsumugi-san, and everyone else, too."

Yui waved a hand dismissively.

"I'm just trying to be a proper big sister, that's all. Hey, it's almost 10:30, and I should probably go wake up Azusa. She wants to spend some time with you, and so do Jun-chan and the others. If you're up to it, that is. I don't want you to overextend yourself."

The thought of being surrounded by friends again felt liberating to Ui, as though her soul was emerging from a dungeon after a long imprisonment. In particular, she longed to see Azusa and Jun again; she'd barely gotten to do more than greet them at the station.

"I'll be fine, Onē-chan, really."

* * *

_5/29/2016, 8:55 pm  
__Ui's Guestroom, The Carriage House_

With a satisfied sigh, Ui loosened the belt on her bathrobe and sank into the soft, overstuffed cushions of the easy chair next to the bed. Although her head and side still throbbed, the ache wasn't enough to disturb the serenity that came from her first proper bath in three days.

Once she got situated, she reached for her tablet computer – miraculously, Yasu had spared it during his rage – and tried to resume reading the _josei_ manga she had been engrossed in earlier. Unfortunately, she had trouble focusing after that long-overdue soak in hot water. After a while, she gave up trying to follow the story, and put the tablet aside, choosing instead to stare into space and simply relax.

The staff had set her up on the top floor, in a western-style room with a private bath right down the hallway from Yui's suite. It was three times the size of a typical Japanese bedroom, but it still felt cozy to Ui. Although it wasn't as luxurious a set-up as her sister enjoyed, it still felt as though she was vacationing at a large inn in the country. She decided she could get used to this kind of life, at least for a couple weeks while her injuries healed; at that point, she'd need to find work somewhere. Even if Yui refused to let her pay for anything, she still needed some activity that would distract her from her troubles. Besides, it was against her nature simply to lie around doing nothing. For now, though, it was enough to rest and recuperate, and to enjoy Mugi's hospitality.

Ui wondered when she was finally going to come face to face with the _ojō_. Despite Yui's report that Mugi had helped care for her that first night, the blonde had not been among the constant parade of visitors she'd had all afternoon. Ui didn't mind that so much; she was in no particular hurry to see Mugi, because she remembered how painful it had been the last time, and wasn't sure she could go through it again. Still, they couldn't avoid each other indefinitely.

The tablet began to buzz, signaling that it was time to take her medications. After tapping at the screen to shut off the alarm, she gingerly pulled herself out of the easy chair and began to open her collection of medicine bottles. Just as she washed the pills down with a glass of water from the carafe on the nearby dresser, there was a knock at the door. _That must be Onē-chan checking up on me,_ she smiled inwardly.

"Come in," she called.

"Sorry to intrude." The voice was definitely not her sister's. When Ui saw who her visitor was, she nearly dropped her water glass. The cry of recognition burst out of her before she could stop it, more of a gasp than actual speech.

"Tsumugi-san!"

Although Ui had seen plenty of online pictures and video clips of Mugi over the past 13 months, no image on the internet could ever compare to the real thing, and in this case, reality was as spectacular as ever. Mugi's honey-blonde hair was hanging in a long, heavy braid that looked like spun gold. Clad in a simple white dress with navy-blue trim, her skin as pale as fine porcelain, she looked almost angelic. She was so beautiful it made Ui's heart hurt.

The stunned brunette stood frozen in place, wanting to look away but somehow not able to. Her face felt as if it was on fire. For her part, Mugi gazed back at her with an uncertain smile, her cheeks as rosy as Ui's must have been. There was no sign of anger or contempt in those sapphire-blue eyes, as Ui had feared. On the contrary, they held an ocean of warmth and affection, the way Ui remembered them from the old days, back when her friendship with Mugi was at the peak of its intensity.

"Ui-chan," came the return greeting. How musical her name sounded when Mugi spoke it. Part of her wanted to respond by running to the blonde and clasping her hands affectionately, the way she used to, but it was as if her shame had anchored her in place. All she could do was stand there, staring.

"Ts-tsumugi-…s-san…uh…w-what a s-s-surprise…" she stammered.

The blonde twiddled her fingers nervously.

"I'm really sorry to impose like this, but…well, I know that you were probably expecting Yui-chan…but, um, Ricchan and I both wanted a turn, and when Yui-chan said 'no'…well, we, uh…sort of challenged her to a game of _jan-ken-pon_…and the winner got to come remind you to take your medicine."

"_Jan-ken-pon…?" _Ui repeated.

The pink on Mugi's cheeks deepened to scarlet.

"Uh…yeah. As you can see, I won. Yay, me!"

With a nervous laugh, she weakly pumped her fist.

The mental picture of the three women playing the traditional game like a pack of squabbling elementary-school girls, with Ritsu and Yui pouting after their inevitable loss, was so funny that Ui began to giggle in spite of herself. After a moment, Mugi joined her, her laughter sounding like the tinkling of bells to Ui's ears. The awkwardness between them seemed to evaporate into thin air.

"Onē-chan and Ritsu-san never beat you at that game," Ui chuckled.

Mugi smiled knowingly.

"That's why I challenged them. I _wanted_ to come visit you. In fact, I've been holding back since you woke up this morning, because I was afraid you didn't want to see me. Yui-chan told me I didn't need to worry, but, well…I still felt I needed a purpose for dropping by. I was being silly, wasn't I?"

"You really didn't need a reason," Ui agreed.

"Well I guess it doesn't really matter, now that I'm here," the blonde said, her tone still a bit self-conscious. "Anyway, Yui-chan said you were due to take your medicine at 21:00, and that you'd be going to bed right after that."

Ui gestured toward the pill bottles.

"I was just taking them when you got here."

"Are you doing well?" Mugi asked, wringing her hands anxiously. "I've been so worried about you. This is such an ugly business…and of all the people for it to happen to…"

Ui put the empty glass back on the dresser and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks for being so concerned, but please don't worry about me. I may look a bit rugged, but my head's clear, and that's the main thing. I'll be okay as long as I rest."

Mugi nodded her understanding.

"I won't keep you from it, then. Maybe we can catch up over tea when you're feeling a bit stronger. In the meantime, if there's anything you need, call me any time, day or night, okay? You have my number now. At least that's what Yui-chan told me. Sleep well, Ui-chan."

As Mugi made her way to the guestroom door, Ui wondered how she should react. The brief visit had not gone how she'd expected. Mugi's gentle, accepting demeanor had blown her fear of rejection away like fallen leaves before an autumn wind. In fact, it didn't seem as though Mugi bore her any ill will at all. Impulsively, she decided that now was as good a time as any to begin to clear the air between them.

"Tsumugi-san, wait. Don't go."

Mugi turned toward Ui, her bushy eyebrows raised.

"Are you sure it's okay? I wouldn't want you to push yourself too hard."

This time, Ui met her eyes without flinching.

"Please…I want you to stay."

A relieved smile crept across Mugi's pale features.

"I'd like that."

The two women sat at the dining table near the door. For a brief moment, the awkwardness returned as Ui fumbled with the tie of her bathrobe, frantically trying to think of something to say. It had been so long since she and Mugi had had a proper conversation – over two years – that she really didn't know where to start. _I need to apologize, but I'm too scared to come right out and do it. I need to ease into it. Maybe I should start by-…_

"I'm sorry, Ui-chan."

The choked-out words brought the brunette's racing thoughts to a screeching halt. Were those tears in Mugi's eyes?

"Tsumugi-san…I don't understand…"

Mugi's response poured from her like a raging river through a broken dam.

"I'm sorry for what happened back then…for confessing to you when I knew there was no way you could accept me. I was so selfish. I thought if you knew my feelings, it might make a difference, but it seemed that all I did was hurt you. When you started avoiding me, I knew I'd destroyed our precious friendship. I never bargained for that. It was one of the worst mistakes I've ever made. I never should have said anything…never should have added to your burden. I'm really sorry to unload like this, but I've wanted to make things right for so long that…oh, Ui-chan…can you ever forgive me?"

As Mugi dabbed at her moist cheeks with a handkerchief, Ui slumped back in her chair, dumbfounded. Normally, to see the _ojō_ upset like this would have gutted her, but she was too shocked by the blonde's statement to react to her display of emotion. Never in a million years had she expected this. Mugi wasn't the guilty party here; she was.

"But…but…I'm the one to blame for everything, not you," she objected. "There's no way you could ever hurt me with a confession like that. It was one of the most beautiful things that's ever happened to me. I wanted to accept you, I really did, but you know why I couldn't. I had a duty to my parents, and I needed to protect Onē-chan's dreams. But that look on your face when I refused you…I couldn't handle it, so I ran away. I'm the one who deserves the blame for what happened between us. I'm the one who needs to apologize to you. I'm really sorry, Tsumugi-san. I never meant to hurt you. Please, forgive me."

Now it was Mugi's turn to gape at Ui. The two women stared at each other, speechless for a long moment, until the truth sank in. It was the blonde who broke the silence.

"So you thought it was your fault, and I thought it was my fault…"

"…and because of that we wasted two years," Ui added lamely. "We're both idiots, aren't we?"

Gently, almost shyly, Mugi reached across the table and covered Ui's hand with her own. Her touch felt as soft and warm as ever, and the brunette's mind immediately went fuzzy around the edges. _It's the medicine,_ she told herself. _It's got to be the pills. There's nothing left from that time…is there? _

"My feelings for you…well, they're not something I could let go of so easily," Mugi continued. "But two years is a long time, and with all you're going through, I don't want to distract you or push myself on you."

She looked at Ui hopefully.

"We're probably never going to get back to where we were the night I confessed, but do you think that maybe we can start over? You know, from the time we became friends?"

With this tacit confirmation of Mugi's unconditional forgiveness, Ui felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. All the same, her mind was in overdrive as she tried to process what had happened over the past few minutes. Reconciliation aside, people didn't simply fill in two years of space in an instant. It had taken her a lot of effort to get over what had happened back then. Now that they were back in each other's lives, Ui was not at all sure how the process of reviving their friendship would go, or even how she _wanted_ it to go. Mugi was a passionate woman, the only true romantic Ui had ever known. Back in college, she had been swept along with the blonde's tide, falling for her faster and harder than she'd expected. But that seemed like a time long ago, back in the days before she and Mugi lost their innocence to the real world that lay outside the shelter of the JWU campus.

Things were different now. Facing a nasty divorce and needing to rebuild her life from scratch, she wasn't sure she wanted to head down that same road. And she knew that's what Mugi wanted. She could see in those sparkling eyes that despite all that had happened, the blonde had never stopped loving her, and never gotten over her. That knowledge threatened to awaken something within her she thought was long dead, something whose presence she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with.

_I can't handle this,_ she protested inwardly, willing her fingers not to tremble under Mugi's. _Not now, not with my life a shambles. It's too much. Besides, this is Tsumugi-san. She deserves the best, someone worthy of her, not damaged goods like me. I don't want her to think I'm rejecting her again…but she needs to understand that we can't go back to where we were so easily._

Moving deliberately so she didn't give the wrong impression, she removed her hand and hid it in her lap, where the blonde couldn't see it shake.

"There's just so much going on in my life right now, and it's all so confusing. Can we take things really slowly?"

Thankfully, rather than showing discouragement as Ui had feared, the blonde was practically glowing.

"We can," she promised. "Just the fact that we're speaking again is more than I ever expected. It's enough for me to stay in the background, helping you when and where I can. Maybe we can start with that?"

That sounded fair, Ui decided, so she nodded her agreement. In response, Mugi stood, preparing once again to leave. Trying to be polite, Ui stood along with her, only to lurch against the table as the dizzy spell hit her. Steadying herself, she smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry…those pills…"

"You're looking a bit pale, so you should probably lie down," the blonde worried. "I guess the drugs are working, huh? Well, I need to be a polite guest and leave you to your privacy."

She headed for the door, but before leaving, she turned to Ui one final time.

"I've missed you, Ui-chan, probably more than you realize. What's happened to you is simply awful, but…maybe something good came out of it. For both of us, that is."

"I've missed you, too," Ui answered truthfully. "Thank you for everything. I'll repay you someday."

"Don't even think of it as an obligation," Mugi countered. "I've always been generous to my friends, and never expected anything in return. It's how I show that I…care for them."

With another of those gentle, upper-class smiles, she excused herself. As the door closed behind her, Ui felt a sudden flash of disappointment that Mugi hadn't stayed longer. Shaking it off, she crawled wearily into bed, giving up the fight against the effects of the medication. As sleep descended, Mugi's final words echoed in her mind.

…_maybe something good came out of it…_

Ui thought she just might be right. There was a silver lining to every cloud, after all.

* * *

**A/N:**

− As always, thanks go to my faithful editor, Musician74, for beta-reading this chapter.

− An eye orbit blow-out fracture is a crack or break in the floor of the eye socket. It's usually caused by blunt force trauma to the eye area, such as a punch. In the case of a simple crack, ice and medication are the usual treatment. Surgery isn't usually necessary unless the break is significant enough to affect the motion of the eye. For the purposes of this story, Ui has the simplest kind of blow-out, and it serves more as a source of lingering discomfort than anything else.

− In 2001, the Japanese government passed a law giving protection to victims of domestic violence. Without going into too much detail, the law provides for prefectural-level shelters victims can go to for refuge, and they can apply for a six-month no-contact order, and the aggressor can also be banned from the shared residence for up to two weeks so the victim can recover their personal belongings. Unfortunately, the law still places the burden of proof on the victim. Sadly, few victims, particularly women, take advantage of the benefits of the law. Many are pressured to keep domestic disputes private, and to resolve them within the family. Often, this does little to break the cycle of abuse.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	10. Extra 1: Homecoming

_**WARNING! This chapter contains M-rated content! **_There is a strong lesbian theme throughout, and there are depictions of lesbian sex at various points in the narrative. Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER! **_I do not own any part of the _K-On!_ franchise. Ownership belongs to Kakifly, Hōbunsha, and Kyōtō Animation. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent.

_**NOTE ON FORMATTING:**_ Even though this story is written in English, the characters' default language is understood to be Japanese. [Bracketed text like this denotes that the words are either spoken or thought in English.] Internal monologue, written/electronic communications, flashbacks, and song lyrics are _italicized_.

* * *

_**PREFACE: **_This is an extra chapter that fits between Chapters 9 and 10 of the main narrative. Beyond establishing that HTT has gone to one of the Kotobuki villas to work on their new album, there's no plot advancement. The chapter only exists because I felt like writing M-rated YuiAzu fluff as a birthday present for Musician74, and because I thought this story had gone without an update for long enough. If M-rated content isn't your bag, you can feel free to skip this chapter – you won't miss any plot points.

* * *

**Extra Chapter #1: Homecoming**

_6/11/2016, 2:49 pm  
__Second Floor Staff Room, Sakuragaoka Girls' Senior High School, Katakuramachi 553, Hachiōji__  
_

"_But…but …you _have_ to come down to the villa on weekends, Azunyan!" Yui's eyes were pleading. "How am I supposed to write lyrics in Kushimoto when my muse is here in Hachiōji?"_

"_We already talked about this, Yui. It's seven hours each way, and that's if I take a bullet train part of the way. Besides, my weekends aren't exactly open, remember? I have so little free time that I'd practically have to turn right around and go back to Tōkyō as soon as I got to Kushimoto. I'm sorry."_

_The brunette looked suddenly grief-stricken, and her pouting tone morphed into a full-fledged whine._

"_But I can't go for a month without my Azunyan! I'll shrivel up and die before the end. Yeah, I can see the headlines now: 'Rock Star Dies from Loneliness'."_

_It was woman-child Yui at her most dramatic, but unfortunately for her, Azusa was immune to that sad, puppy-dog look. Well, that wasn't strictly true, but she was pretty good at making it look that way._

"_You're not going to die, Yui. We were separated for two weeks during the domestic leg of your last tour, and you made it through just fine."_

"_I wasn't 'fine.' The tour sucked, because you weren't with me." Yui's usually genial face darkened into a glower, and the tears began to well up in her eyes. _

"_Don't say that. Those were some of your best performances ever. At least that's what the critics said."_

"_It was because we'd just gotten together," Yui sniffled. She tried to wipe her eyes with her fingers, but only succeeded in smearing her eyeliner. "All I could think about was you, and I was riding high. Besides, that was only two weeks. This is for a month. A _whole month_, Azunyan! Maybe you can handle us being apart for that long, but I can't."_

"_Geez. And you call _me_ a crybaby." With a frustrated shake of her head, Azusa reached out to smooth a few stray hairs out of Yui's eyes. "You make it sound like I won't miss you, but I will, terribly, and you know it. Sure, it's going to be hard, but I'll call you every day, and we'll video chat as often as we can, I promise."_

_After a moment, the disconsolate brunette pulled Azusa into a tight hug._

"_You're right, of course," she mumbled. "You always are. But that fact doesn't make this any easier to take."_

_There was something off about the embrace. Usually, to be in Yui's arms meant to be enveloped in soothing tranquility, but that feeling was largely absent, replaced by an undercurrent of grief and desperation that was out of character for the happy-go-lucky brunette. Recognizing that this was one of those times that Yui was looking for reassurance from her – usually, it was the other way around – Azusa slipped into the role of surrogate mother without even thinking. If Yui needed her to be strong for the both of them, then she would be the rock her lover could cling to._

"_No, it doesn't make it easier," she agreed. "But I love you, Yui, and you love me. Use that as inspiration, and you'll be so busy writing lyrics that the month will go by in no time. You'll see."_

_Yui didn't answer, and after a moment, Azusa felt a sudden wetness on her neck. But she refused to join in the tears; it wasn't acceptable. Rocks weren't supposed to cry, after all._

* * *

"Nakano-sensei?"

Instantly, Azusa's daydream evaporated, and she found herself back in the reality of the second-floor staff room. It was after classes on a Saturday afternoon, so the place was a tomb-like expanse of empty desks. Nearly all of the other faculty members, including Tori, had already fled the school for the weekend. The two exceptions were Azusa and one of the history teachers, a friendly woman in her late 40s whose voice had interrupted her reverie.

"Oh, sorry." Azusa rubbed her eyes, trying to regain her focus. "I was spacing out."

The woman smiled sympathetically.

"I shouldn't wonder. It's been a long week for all of us." She went on to ask Azusa about something related to that morning's faculty meeting. After getting the answer she was looking for, the woman's tone turned apologetic. "I don't mean to intrude, but…well, I know you're really busy between teaching and playing in a band on the side, and…um, is everything okay? For the past couple weeks, you've seemed really, I don't know, downhearted. A lot of us are worried, because this isn't like you."

Azusa desperately wanted to say that everything was _not_ okay. She wished she could tell the woman that with Yui out of town, it felt as though she was missing a piece, and that even though it had only been 11 days since HTT had left for Kushimoto to work on their new album, she missed Yui so fiercely that it hurt. But of course, she couldn't say any of these things – one simply didn't bare one's soul to a co-worker like that, especially when it concerned a lesbian lover – so she opted for a plausible excuse.

"I'm really sorry to have troubled everyone. I've just been really tired lately."

"I'm glad it's not serious." The older woman seemed genuinely relieved. "Get some rest today and tomorrow, okay?" Azusa nodded, and the conversation ended as the other teacher resumed her preparations to leave for the day. Within a few minutes, she was gone, leaving Azusa alone in the staff room with her thoughts.

Her administrative work was all caught up, and neither the Chorus nor Light Music Club met on Saturdays, so there wasn't any reason for her to be around, yet she wasn't in any particular hurry to leave. With Yui in Kushimoto and her other friends all unavailable, there was no other option but to go home to Muttan and practice until Yui could break away to video chat.

At the thought of Yui, the hollow, lonely feeling returned with a vengeance. Why had she not agreed to travel to Kushimoto on the weekends? In hindsight, a 14-hour round trip by train seemed a small price to pay for even a few minutes in her lover's arms.

_That's it,_ she decided. _I won't make it through the month if I don't see her. She'll tease me to death for caving in like this, but I can't help it. _

She opened the JapanRail app on her phone and began searching for the next available train out of Hachiōji. To her satisfaction, there was one leaving in a couple hours that would have her in Kushimoto before midnight. She did the math in her head: if she skipped Sunday's band practice and didn't bother to sleep – not that Yui would allow her to – she'd have about 18 hours to work with before she had to return to Hachiōji. That was 18 more hours with Yui than she'd had over the previous week and a half. It was an easy choice: the girls in the band could live without her for one rehearsal. Not that they'd mind, because she'd been driving them crazy with her grouchy attitude since the day HTT left town. She chuckled humorlessly, imagining them all celebrating practice being canceled.

_I can hear Tori now_. _'Thank God. Maybe when she gets laid, she won't be such a bitch.' Jun will probably say something even ruder. Well, I guess Yui and I will have to prove them right._

Just as she was about to push the "confirm" button to lock in the reservation, the school secretary's voice boomed from the public address system.

"_Attention, please. Nakano-sensei, you have a delivery at the front office. Nakano-sensei, you have a delivery…"  
_

With a bemused look at the overhead speaker, Azusa snapped her phone closed and tossed it into the valise propped against the side of her desk. The train reservations would have to wait.

As she hurried down the stairs to the main floor, instinctively running her fingers over the bronze rabbits and turtles on the banister, Azusa tried to remember if she'd ordered anything recently, but kept coming up empty. Her two clubs hadn't made any purchases for over a month, and the last thing she remembered buying with school funds was cleaning supplies for the music rooms. By the time she reached the front office, she was consumed with curiosity over what she'd received, and why it was important enough to warrant the added expense of a Saturday delivery.

Standing at the counter was a young woman wearing the distinctive brown uniform and baseball cap of a well-known international delivery firm. There was a familiar air about her, but between the cap's visor, which was pulled low, and the pair of black wrap-around sunglasses that covered her eyes, Azusa couldn't get a good enough look at her face to place her. She couldn't even tell what color hair the woman had; it was all stuffed up into her hat.

"Nakano Azusa-sama?" The woman's voice was hoarse, almost gruff, as if she was suffering from laryngitis. "Sign here, please." After Azusa scribbled her name on the proffered delivery slip, the girl gestured toward a large, rectangular parcel on the counter and bowed respectfully. "Your delivery."

Before Azusa could retrieve the box, the driver slid between her and the counter, positioning herself so the school secretary couldn't see her face. With a flick of her fingers, she tipped the brim of her hat upward, releasing a cascade of dyed-brunette bangs, then pulled her sunglasses down just enough to reveal an all-too-familiar flash of chocolate brown.

"Thanks for your business, ma'am," she murmured so that only Azusa could hear. Her voice, now higher-pitched and much less throaty, was instantly recognizable. With a wink, the woman quickly readjusted her hat and glasses, and was out the office door before the flabbergasted Azusa could react.

_Oh, my God, that was Yui! What is she doing in Hachiōji? And why the hell are you standing here gaping like an idiot, Nakano? Go after her!_

She only made it a couple steps before the secretary called after her.

"Nakano-sensei, you forgot your package!"

Cursing inwardly, she doubled back to recover the box, but by the time she made it back to the hallway, there was no trace of the brunette. She had seemingly vanished into thin air. After a moment, it dawned on Azusa that the easiest way to find her would be to call her, so she raced back upstairs to retrieve her cell phone. To her surprise, the alert light on the device was blinking.

_Hey, hey, Azunyan,_ the email read. _Hope you liked your present… _Azusa glanced at the package, which she'd tossed unceremoniously on her desk when she'd gotten back to the staff room. In all the excitement, she'd completely forgotten to open it. She decided it was probably a good idea to do that before reading any further.

The moment she got the carton open, Azusa's jaw dropped. Inside was a dozen of the most beautiful long-stemmed red roses she could ever remember receiving. Their heady fragrance filled the staff room, obliterating the lingering scents of printer toner and dry-erase marker. In the box with the flowers was a small, hand-written note:

_For my Azunyan_

_I know how much you love roses, so I thought these might give you a moment of happiness. But even the most beautiful and perfect flowers could never be more than a cheap counterfeit of my feelings for you._

_From Yui_

With trembling hands, Azusa folded the piece of paper and put it in her valise for safe-keeping. If her girlfriend had intended to melt her from the inside out, she'd succeeded spectacularly, because between the roses and the note, her need was growing more and more savage by the minute. She had to find Yui, and fast. She reached for her phone again, only to remember that she hadn't yet finished reading Yui's email.

…_How about a late lunch back at the Carriage House? I have a special dessert planned (see attached pic). Your ride is waiting at the service entrance. Look for the brown panel van with the cute driver._

Azusa's thumb hovered over the "view image" button. "_Dessert," huh? Eh…it's probably safe enough. She sends me random pictures of food all the time. _With a deep breath, she clicked through to the attachment, and nearly dropped the phone.

It was a picture of Yui, taken in front of a bathroom mirror, probably at Mugi's Kushimoto villa. She was wearing nothing but a smug grin and a thick smear of chocolate syrup that ran from the top of her breasts to just above her mound. One hand held her cell phone, while the other flashed a chocolate-covered victory sign.

There was a time when Azusa would have quickly clicked out of the picture, then called Yui to scold her for her lurid behavior, but those days were long gone. Now, she clutched the phone in a death grip, drinking in the image of the body she knew so intimately, and fantasizing about how it would taste to lick clean every square centimeter of that chocolate-covered skin.

_Have I really stooped this low? Has she turned me into this much of a pervert?_ She took another longing look, not even making an effort to hide her lust. There was no one to see her, anyway. _Yes…yes, she has. Oh, God, I want her so badly!_

It took every ounce of self-control Azusa could muster, but she somehow managed to get down the stairs again and out the school's rear entrance without breaking into a dead run. Instead, she maintained the dignified pace expected of a teacher, politely exchanging good-byes with the few people she encountered, and pretending not to hear the questions about why she was so flushed. It was one of the longest walks of her life, as her craving for Yui's touch escalated with each succeeding step.

Sure enough, the van was waiting on the street outside the back gate. Yui was clearly visible through the rolled-down driver's-side window, ball cap, sunglasses and all. When she caught sight of Azusa, she saluted jauntily, and smiled one of those special smiles reserved only for her lover.

Normally, a smile like that would have melted Azusa to a puddle, but at that particular moment she found it a trifle too smug. _Just look at her…she's quite pleased with herself, isn't she? If she thinks a box of flowers and a naked sext are enough to put me on my back, she's got another think coming. Damn her for getting me worked up like this. I need to teach her a lesson._

Pretending to ignore the greeting, Azusa walked as casually as possible around the rear of the van to drop off her valise and the flower box before eventually sliding into the front passenger seat, slamming the door shut for emphasis.

There was dead silence for several seconds, broken finally by Yui's timid, "So…hello?"

Azusa chose not to reply. Instead, she leaned across the gap between the seats and gently removed Yui's hat and sunglasses, placing them on the dashboard. Then, after a quick look around to make sure there were no spectators, she grabbed two fistfuls of Yui's shirt and pulled her into a kiss so ferocious that the startled brunette yelped against her mouth. But she quickly recovered, and soon the two women's lips were crushed together, their tongues wrestling. Yui tasted sweeter than Pocky, and her distinctive scent was as intoxicating as plum wine, but Azusa knew that if she allowed the sensations to flood over her for much longer, she'd lose control completely. Besides, it was dangerous to show affection in public like this. Reluctantly, she broke off the kiss, locking her eyes on the brunette's.

"Shut up and drive, Hirasawa."

It certainly wasn't the greeting Yui expected. She stared back at Azusa uncertainly, clearly trying to figure out if she was in trouble, and if so, how deeply.

"Um…uh…but Azunyan…"

"Don't you 'but Azunyan' me," the younger woman hissed, eyes blazing. "You and your goddamned teasing! Here I am, dying inside from missing you, and you show up unannounced to pull an idiotic stunt that could have outed us in front of everyone at the school. And then you had the nerve to run off afterward. I didn't even get to say 'hello,' much less hold you…and as if those roses weren't enough, you damned near destroyed me with that picture. It's been one tease after another, and it's turned me into a trembling, soaking-wet jumble of hormones. How the hell am I going to make it through a half-hour drive without attacking you?"

"I…"

"Don't say anything!" Yui's mouth snapped closed. "Just get this crate moving."

The bemused brunette didn't dare to reply. With a screech of tires on asphalt, she slammed the van into gear and pulled it out onto the street, heading south toward the Kotobuki estate. Before they had gotten very far, however, Azusa had a sudden flash of inspiration.

"Turn around. We're headed to Koyasumachi instead of the Carriage House. Don't ask questions – just step on it."

* * *

_6/11/2016, 3:29 pm  
__Room 601, Hotel Dolphin, Koyasumachi 4-6-5, Hachiōji__  
_

A little less than ten minutes later, Azusa literally dragged the astonished Yui across the threshold of the hotel room, pausing only to kick off her shoes before marching her girlfriend over to the bed. After pulling down the sheets, she gestured impatiently toward the mattress.

"Azunyan, what's gotten into you?" Despite the question, the speculative grin on Yui's face showed that she knew very well what Azusa's intentions were. "You're being so assertive. It's…surprisingly hot. Okay, I'll play along. Shall we start with a bath? I'll wash your back…and whatever else you want." She began to unzip the front of her shirt, but was brought up short by the curt response.

"Just get over here and do what I tell you. Now."

One mad scramble later, the two women were kneeling on the bed, facing each other, enveloped in a cloud of sexual tension so thick it was like one of Mount Fuji's legendary winter fogs. A mixture of surprise and uncertainty, combined with the flush of arousal, swept across Yui's features, giving her an air of vulnerability that made Azusa want to possess her completely – body, mind, and spirit. As if drawn by an unseen force, tiny hands reached out to claim ownership, their rough fingertips caressing smooth cheeks and weaving into dyed-auburn hair.

"Oh, God, I missed you so much. It was like I was rotting on the inside."

"Azunyan…" The single, hushed word, weighted with pent-up desire, was all that Yui offered in reply. Then, suddenly, their mouths collided again, even more passionately than before, but although the kiss threatened to consume Azusa, it wasn't enough. She wanted more – _needed_ more. Unable to hold back any longer, she released her lover's lips, then grabbed the zipper tab on the front of her uniform shirt and jerked it downward. Yui let out a surprised "unf," then gasped as Azusa yanked the garment open. Within seconds, the shirt sailed through the air, bouncing off the wall to land in a heap on the floor. Yui's bra, a black, lacy push-up she'd obviously worn for Azusa's benefit, soon followed it.

"Oh, God, Azunyan…" The statement was somewhere between a pant and a moan. "We haven't even washed-…" Azusa silenced the objection with her mouth, and began running her hands over Yui's naked upper body, delighting in the familiar softness. Shivering at the gentle caresses, Yui wound her arms around her lover's neck and returned the kiss hungrily. She arched her back, pressing her breasts into the searching palms, and moaning into Azusa's mouth whenever a callused finger scraped over one of her erect nipples.

Her mind suddenly fuzzy around the edges, Azusa lost herself in the sheer bliss of the embrace, letting out a tiny mew of disappointment when Yui eventually broke contact. Normally, the brunette would have cooed over the catlike reaction, but this time, she didn't seem to notice it. Instead, she gazed wordlessly at her lover, eyes hooded with desire, and began to tug at her blazer.

"Let me." Azusa gently removed her hands from the buttons. "It'll be faster."

Despite the distraction of her girlfriend's roving hands, Azusa managed to take off her jacket and blouse, but before she could get to her bra, Yui finished the job for her by practically ripping it from her chest and flinging it aside. With no further preliminaries, she went straight for Azusa's breasts, nibbling and sucking on one while she stroked the other. Azusa's eyes fluttered closed as jolts of sublime electricity coursed from her now-hard nipples straight to her core. Her breathing grew more and more ragged as Yui gently worked from one side to the other and back again. Then, without warning, teeth closed on tender flesh, marking the sensitive underside of one of the small mounds as Yui's personal territory.

The sudden flash of pleasure-pain forced a soft cry from Azusa's throat. As if the stimulus had flipped a switch in her brain, she swiftly counterattacked by pulling Yui's face off of her chest and forcibly reclaiming her lips. Then, with the ruthlessness of a barbarian violating holy ground, she thrust a hand down the front of her lover's pants. A low, guttural moan of surrender burst from the brunette when Azusa's fingers reached the scalding wetness between her thighs.

"Azunyan…oh, God, yes…" Azusa's hand slithered back and forth through the slickness in an unrelenting cadence, urged on by her partner in a voice thick with arousal. "Keep going…more…don't stop!" Soon, the trembling brunette was clinging to the smaller woman, gasping and rocking her hips. "Right there…hunh…just like that…unh…" As Yui approached the precipice, Azusa simply moved her hand even faster, all the while showering butterfly kisses over the squirming brunette's face, neck and chest. "Oh, God…gonna come…coming…" As Yui began to grunt and growl her way through her release, a surge of liquid heat inundated Azusa's fingers. Even then, she refused to let up, reveling in the sounds her partner was making, and the way her body shivered and twitched.

Finally, Yui grabbed her wrist. "Stop…too much…" Almost reluctantly, Azusa complied, and her spent lover slumped to the mattress with a contented sigh, pulling the younger woman down with her. Still partially clothed, the two lovers lay in a tangle of arms and legs as Yui's aftershocks tapered off.

While waiting for her lover to descend from the heights, Azusa considered her next move. The image of chocolate-covered Yui came back floating back into her mind, but as appealing as it seemed, she doubted there was any chocolate syrup in the mini-bar. Vaguely disappointed, she turned her attention to the sex toys in the small vending machine by the desk, wondering if she had the guts to try one out on the unsuspecting brunette. About the time she decided she was too much of a coward, Yui's words derailed her train of thought.

"Okay, it's my turn." Azusa felt a sudden shove; the next thing she knew, she was on her back with Yui lying on top of her, gazing at her with smoldering, almost feral eyes. The brunette's voice contained none of the dreamy quality of afterglow. Instead, she seemed inexplicably energized, despite being only minutes removed from what was surely a shattering, sleep-inducing orgasm. "I've missed you so much…it's got me crazy."

Before Azusa could answer, Yui smothered her lips with a fiery kiss that lasted just long enough to leave no doubt as to who was now in charge. Her head still spinning from the surprise attack, Azusa ceded control without a fight. All she could do was raise her hips to allow the complete liberation of her skirt and panties, which were quickly joined on the floor by the rest of Yui's clothes. With a calculating smirk, the now-naked brunette crawled back onto the bed, bridging herself over Azusa, who stared up at her, unable to move, waiting for the inevitable.

"Get ready, Azunyan. I don't plan on holding back." Yui giggled, a not-at-all innocent sound that instantly turned Azusa's insides into a seething mass of molten arousal. "But that's really what you want, isn't it? Otherwise, you wouldn't have been so strict with me. You knew I'd return the favor, right?"

Azusa licked her suddenly-arid lips and tried to answer, but she couldn't form any intelligible words before Yui's hand found its way between her legs, sending a white-hot lightning strike of pleasure ripping through her at the moment of contact. "See how wet you are? Your body could never lie to me, Azunyan. You want me to give it my all, don't you?"

"Y-…yes…" It was little more than a whisper.

"I'm sorry? I didn't quite catch that." Yui's eyes glittered with amusement. "Do you need a little help speaking up?" Her fingers found Azusa's core once again, dancing back and forth until the quivering woman could stand it no longer, unleashing her answer in the form of a frustrated wail.

"Yes!"

That was good enough for Yui, who promptly took possession with a single glorious thrust that arched Azusa's back off the bed.

From the look on Yui's face, Azusa had already guessed that there was going to be no gentle build-up, and no easing into a rhythm. Still, she wasn't fully prepared for what followed. Yui could be quite aggressive when she wanted to be, but this time she took things to an entirely new level. Her onslaught was a delicious fury that was almost percussive in its intensity. Normally, Azusa liked to be treated more gently than this, but after being without Yui for so long, the need within her was so consuming that it could only be met through raw domination.

With ruthless efficiency, Yui rocked her hand back and forth, grinding her thumb mercilessly against Azusa's pleasure nexus before driving her fingers home, forcing an audible grunt from the younger woman with each incursion. In the face of such a determined assault, Azusa could only curl her arms around Yui's neck and hold on for dear life. The bed creaked in time with the movement of her hips as she pushed up to meet each stroke. Her mind was blank; nothing existed to her but the jagged spikes of pleasure that pierced her with every movement of Yui's fingers.

"Come for me." The command, issued at the precise moment Azusa arrived on the brink of release, was enough to tip her over the edge. With a strangled cry, she began to shudder uncontrollably. Her insides clamped around Yui like a velvet-steel fist as the climax crashed into her like the shockwave of a nuclear detonation, obliterating her in a single, blinding flash. Her utter destruction complete, Azusa's vision tunneled to a pin-point, and then went dark.

She wasn't sure how long she was out, but it couldn't have been more than few seconds, because when she came to, she still hadn't caught her breath.

"Azunyan?"

As her mind began to clear, she realized she was in Yui's arms, covered in sweat. A pleasant post-orgasmic soreness radiated through her lower body.

"What…what happened?"

"Looks like you fainted. I'm better at this than I thought." The brunette grinned almost insolently.

"Geez, Yui." Azusa's head was still a bit muddled. "I can't even…oh, God. Hold me."

Needing no further encouragement, Yui pulled her close, and the two lay molded against each other in silent communion. Lying in her lover's arms, Azusa felt a mantle of peace settle over her. Their lovemaking had restored order to her universe, and banished the loneliness that had been eating at her soul while Yui was away. As if to put an exclamation point on the thought, she caressed Yui's lips with the gentlest of butterfly kisses.

"I love you."

Yui smiled that smile of hers, the one that always bathed Azusa's soul in warm sunshine, and answered by repeating the words she'd used the day she'd confessed.

"'Forever and ever, I will love you.'"

There wasn't much more to be said than that, so Azusa snuggled close, listening to Yui's heartbeat, as she usually did after they made love.

"I guess you liked the flowers, then." The words cut into the comfortable silence. Although Azusa couldn't see her face, she could hear the grin in her girlfriend's voice. "After the way you reacted, I guess that was a given."

"Thank you…they were beautiful," Azusa murmured. "You knew exactly what to get, as always. I'm curious about something, though." Propping herself up on one elbow, she eyed the naked woman beside her, who responded to her scrutiny with a raised eyebrow. "Should I even ask where you got the uniform and the delivery van? You have no connection to Big Brown, at least as far as I know."

Yui's smile turned enigmatic.

"Saitō-kun knows a guy who knows a guy…"

"…who knows a guy," Azusa finished for her. "Why am I not surprised?" She wondered how Yui convinced the starchy Austrian butler to serve as her accomplice; no doubt Sumire had something to do with it. "Next question. How did you get here? And why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"It all just sort of…happened. I was missing you so much that I couldn't function any longer. The girls got sick of my moping, and so they put me on a chartered plane home this morning. They told me I'm not allowed to go back to Kushimoto until tomorrow night. The rest was pure inspiration. I didn't want to wait for hours for you to get off work, but I couldn't just walk into the high school to see you. It's amazing how creative a girl can get when she's desperate."

"I was one step away from making train reservations when they called me down to the office," Azusa admitted. "So I guess the separation was too much for both of us." Her tone turned penitent. "I'm really sorry, Yui. You were right. There was no way we were going to make it through the entire month. We should have made plans to visit."

Yui waved off the apology.

"Never mind that now. The important thing is that we're together." A suggestive smile played across her lips. "So…what did you think of the picture I sent?"

For the first time since she'd opened Yui's email in the staff room, Azusa blushed. "Um…it has me really wanting dessert."

"Dessert, you say?" The brunette's eyes glinted in a way the younger woman found dangerous, but in a very good way. "We'll have to wait until we get home for that. But that doesn't mean we can't run with the idea while we're here." She nodded toward the mini-bar. "Maybe you'd like to try an aperitif instead? Some wine, perhaps?"

An image of Yui's breasts and stomach scattered with droplets of blood-red Lambrusco drifted through Azusa's mind, and just like that, the fluttery feeling returned to the pit of her stomach.

"God, yes," she replied with an intensity that surprised them both. "Wait…I don't normally drink wine, so why does that sound so good to me?" With a groan, she pressed a palm to her forehead. "What are you doing to me, Yui? You're changing me in ways I never expected."

"That's what love does, right? We can't help but change each other."

Azusa had to grant the point, but before she could say so, Yui was out of the bed and kneeling front of the mini-bar, rifling through its contents. After a brief search, the brunette grunted in satisfaction, and turned toward the bed, holding up a single-serving bottle of red dessert wine.

"This'll do just fine," she declared, grinning in a way that could only be described as wolfish. "Now…why don't you lie back and we'll get started?"

"Oh, no you don't. It's my turn. Besides, you have a van to drive, so if anyone's going to drink wine, it'll be have to me." Azusa reached out her hand toward the suddenly crestfallen brunette. "Now give me that and lie down."

Pouting, Yui shuffled over to the bed and thrust the bottle at Azusa before dropping to the mattress with a thump, her lower lip in a petulant curl.

"Meanie. Why do you always have to be so responsible?"

"It's a double-edged sword," Azusa shrugged. "Now lie still, if you can. I don't want to waste any of this." She dribbled a thin stream of wine across Yui's chest, prompting the brunette to shiver at the feeling of the cool liquid on her skin.

"It's cold."

"Don't worry. I'll warm you up quickly enough."

Deep-red rivulets trickled down the sides of Yui's breasts, pooling in her cleavage and spattering the sheet underneath with crimson blotches. It was such an erotic sight that Azusa was overcome with the sudden urge to drag her tongue over the wine-soaked mounds, but before she could give in to the impulse, one last thought occurred to her.

"I guess I should offer a toast, huh? Welcome home, Yui. Kanpai."

"Kanp-…ohhh," the brunette sighed, as Azusa's mouth went to work.

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**A/N:**

− Thanks to YuiAzu fangirl Musician74 for beta-reading this chapter. I intended it not only as her 23rd birthday present, but as a thank-you for over 16 months of selfless editorial assistance. Happy birthday, Beta-chan!

− Hotel Dolphin is an actual love hotel in Hachiōji (delfinoinc hotels / dolphin / , remove the spaces – the site is in Japanese, so you'll need to use Google Translate or something similar). There's a picture of Room 601 on the site. Many love hotels, especially the more luxurious ones, have in-room vending machines that sell sex toys.

− The words "Big Brown," along with the brown uniform, hat, and delivery van, are intentional references to a major international shipping company that will remain nameless.

− Lambrusco is a variety of sweet red wine.

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Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


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